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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29455641">The Accountant</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/will_write_for_matcha/pseuds/will_write_for_matcha'>will_write_for_matcha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Between Episodes, Canto Bight, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:26:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29455641</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/will_write_for_matcha/pseuds/will_write_for_matcha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between episodes 6 (The Prisoner) and 7 (The Reckoning): Din and The Child need some cash. Lando needs some information. The Accountant needs...a raise. But she'll also get a chance to risk it all and learn who she can be.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I told you this was a bad idea.”</p><p>Din sighed, a sardonic smile tugging the left corner of his mouth beneath the helmet. The Child tilted his head in response, his favorite toy- the shiny chrome throttle knob - in hand.</p><p>“That job won’t carry us for long; not if we need to get far enough away and stay there until…” </p><p><em> Until what? </em>he thought.</p><p>Until Greef cancelled the bounty on their heads, and everyone from veteran killers to Outer Rim kids who stole their dad’s blaster stopped coming for them? Or maybe until the Client gave up, and the Imperial remnant disappeared? </p><p>Not likely. Din pushed the thought to the back of his head.</p><p>“We’ve got to find a system where we can pick up some work - someplace where the Guild doesn’t have as strong of an influence,”</p><p>He brought up the nav computer, looking down from the dizzying lightspeed display of warped stars outside the cockpit window. With the Razor Crest’s current fuel reserves, their options were limited.</p><p>Altyr 5? Too much Black Sun activity. Bimmiel? If you want to meet all of 4 lifeforms, or maybe spend every night coughing up ash from the constant volcanic eruptions.</p><p>A name caught his eye in the lower left corner of the display. Phaeda. Din had been there a few times on bounty runs; a few medium-sized settlements including a capital city, mountainous and cool but the air and water were safe enough, law enforcement keeps the real dangerous types out. He zoomed the map back. Actually, Phaeda had one more advantage...</p><p>“That’s the border of New Republic space.” The Child continued rolling the throttle ball, utterly unconcerned.</p><p>The Republic never had an easy relationship with the Guild; it’s hard to build trust when bounty hunters by nature will take the highest bid, and the Empire could always just make more credits. It likely didn’t help that the line between bounty hunter, mercenary, and assassin could get pretty blurry in the Outer Rim. </p><p>The Empire was fine with the Rim powers killing each other, as long as these crime-lord squabbles didn’t disrupt the flow of fuel and metal and teenage Stormtrooper draftees to Courescant. The Guild, by keeping the balance of power toward those who could pay the most, helped ensure that happened.</p><p>None of this would have flown with the Republic- not officially, anyway.</p><p>Din cracked his knuckles and passively scrolled the navigation interface.  It had been a long time since he did a job for anyone Republic-affiliated; he, like most Guild members, passed on any Rebel-fronted bounty to capture an Imperial officer. Too risky, and never enough cash to split between the number of hunters you’d need to pull it off. </p><p>But the Guild couldn’t help him now, and twenty years in the business made him sure that even the most high-minded ‘democracy-and-freedom’ Republic official had some work they’d like taken care of, quickly and quietly. </p><p>Din turned to The Child. “We’re heading to Phaeda- they’re pretty famous for some hot springs. We can visit if we have time.”</p><p>The Child's eyelids flickered, the hand going slack on the ball. It rested in his lap.</p><p>Din picked The Child up and carried him to his pram pod, hovering outside his own sleep pod in the area behind the cockpit. He paused as the little one got settled in. </p><p>“Sweet dreams, kid.” </p><p>The Child lay his head back against the pillow, a small coo escaping as his eyes closed.</p><p>Din looked down at him through his helmet display.<em> Do you have any idea how much trouble we’re in? I hope not.  </em></p><p>He got up and climbed the ladder down to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He reached up and lifted the helmet, sighing as he gently shook his head. There was nothing like that feeling, the sudden cool air on the back of your scalp and the world in full color, without graphical overlays measuring target distances. Running his fingers through his hair, he looked into the mirror above the sink. It never failed to surprise him, seeing his face emerging from a full set of beskar Mandalorian armor. </p><p>Both a faceless, nameless, warrior-servant of the Creed, and also a man who had his father’s nose and clearly needed a haircut. He reached to right of the sink to pick up the auto-trimmer, his thoughts returning to Phaeda.</p><p>This work will either be something far below his paygrade, like silent security for some midnight spice trading deal at the spaceport, or it’s going to be dirty.</p><p>
  <em> Assassinating a business rival, kidnapping a key witness to keep them quiet during a court hearing, making anonymous threats… </em>
</p><p>He made a few wincing faces in the mirror while the trimmer crawled across his head, measuring and snipping. <em> Have to keep the face muscles toned somehow. </em></p><p>The Creed had little to say on harming non-Mandalorians who weren’t ‘innocents’, and the kind of people who would be targeted by this work almost certainly didn’t qualify. The last job with Ran gave him enough cash to be slightly choosy with the next thing. Still, there’s only so much non-Guild work going, and while he could buy more fuel and head out again, it’s better to limit how many stops they make before he finds a safe place for The Child to stay.</p><p>He looked up, hair trim over, looking...about the way he always did. “Probably for the best Xi’an never saw me with the helmet off,” he murmured while raising his eyebrows and grimacing. He wrapped up the rest of his own pre-bed routine like they taught in Fighting School: ever efficient and effective. </p><p>Helmet in hand, he opened the bathroom door and climbed halfway up the ladder, just far enough to listen and confirm The Child was fast asleep. A small snore escaped from the pram above. Good. </p><p>Din climbed up, crossed the living quarters, and without breaking stride hit the button to open the larger of the Razor Crest’s two sleep pods. His helmet would stay at the foot of the bed, ready to be pulled on at the first sign.</p><p><em> Really, when was the last time I was allowed to be anything other than ready? </em> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>For me, the best new direction in Star Wars storylines is the move away from The Chosen One, and toward the universe of regular people/aliens doing their best to help each other. Ok, admittedly the films didn't stick to that idea particularly well, but hey, it's a new streaming TV era. Characters who would have been credited as 'Technician #4' or 'Cantina Bounty Hunter' in the original series now have a chance to step out of the background. I was inspired by The Mandalorian to explore this idea further. What's it like to have adventures in the Star Wars universe as someone who once stood half a hallway down from Luke Skywalker, and that's about as close to 'fulfilling your destiny' as you get?</p><p>Full disclosure, I did my best with Wookiepedia and the Galaxy Map but I'm no galaxy scholar - a good amount of this is creative license. </p><p>Also, I'm super-rusty at this, so...be nice, eh?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which we meet the noble but reluctant heroine.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Hey, Ari...Ari!! You need to protect those ears, girl, you don’t get another pair. The Caped Crusader wants to see you upstairs, STAT.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake Taisha looked up from her visual display, pulling down her sound-deadening headphones, deep-focus-electro-beats still leaking out from around her neck. Not even lunchtime and the boss wants to meet? Surely her quarterly forecast for the Corellian speeder manufacturing co-venture wasn’t that farfetched? Her forehead crinkled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malena Ontari looked down and grinned, adjusting her Nautolan headtresses. “Hey, I just get the messages and deliver ‘em, I don’t get the background. But come on, you really think Bossman’s calling you in for something bad? After what you’ve pulled off for him over the years? Without you, he’s not a respected businessman - he’d still be cheating at sabacc, running a little spice…?’ Her eyebrows rose teasingly</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake snorted. “Come on, you’re never going to get me to tell you if he was a spice-runner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malena groaned in mock-frustration. “And you’re the only one who’s been around long enough to know! Come on, before he sweeps down here himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake stood up and followed Malena, walking the outside wall of the small inner office. Despite having to speed up to march Malena’s longer strides, she still was careful not to disturb the hulking visual display boards she shared with 4 other ‘business strategic analysts’ here in the basement of the relatively-newly-christened CalCorp. None of them looked up from their chart making and research as she passed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They took the back stairs to the main entryway, facing out on Phaeda’s Republic Victory Plaza, the crown jewel of the capital city Porriq. The plaza and surrounding streets were quiet this time of day, except for a few stray mira-birds, their acid green plumage catching the weak autumn sun as they swooped to pick up some of the last fallen fruit from the trees. There was already a layer of snow on the tallest mountains ringing the city. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still can’t get used to you not being alone down there - I guess it’s more sociable? Do you guys chit-chat while you’re counting up the credits or what?” Malena slid behind the front desk, clearly not that worried about making the boss wait to cut her first work gossip of the day short. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake brushed a hand through her wavy brown hair, mindlessly pulling a front lock straight to her shoulder. “The new accountants? They’re fine, but really, we all drop into the work and just come for air to get a snack or a database access key from each other. And really, they know how long I’ve been around here, working for the boss. I feel like they’re probably a little wary of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, yeah, you’re probably right - so no invites for them to grub-and-grumbling at yours this week?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Weren’t we calling it booze-and-bitching sessions now?” Ariake grinned at Malena’s startled snort-laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha! To be decided in two days: you, me, Pom, hopefully Caterna if she gets the early run to Ord Mantell and is back in port by then. Get on up there and find out what he wants; make sure you’ll be here for it, too, or we’ll have to find someone else to make us those Dantooinian curry puffs!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake waved behind her and made her way up the marble central staircase and down the hall of offices to the impeccably shined glass door of the main audience chamber. Pressing the door button, she was surprised when the door opened to...no one.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, that’s unexpected, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who would Lando be entertaining if he didn’t want to show off the rich purple hanging tapestries hand-woven in Naboo, the glistening black enameled bar, and gentle sound bath of Purrgil whale mating calls mixed with Courescanti jazz standards?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, it all cost enough to put in; why not use it for every shifty scrap dealer with a freighter full of Imperial wreck salvage, just to show we’re fully legitimate now? The golden backlit floor -to-ceiling New Republic logo framing the opposite wall alone would get that message across.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, Lando, what back office are you holed up in?” she murmured, wandering back up the hall, listening for the unmistakable tone of her boss in mid-charm offensive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the thought rose in her mind. There was no way he wouldn’t be in the main audience chamber, leaning against a tapestry and bullshitting about “This is a whole new galaxy now, but one thing never changes - everyone needs that partner. The partner that knows the rules but really, more importantly, they know the right people to make things happen. CalCorp can be that for you…" No way, unless this wasn’t CalCorp business.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is off-the-books work, and I’m the only one who knows how far off the books we go, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought, leaning the side of her against the wall and sighing. Didn’t Lando want to move away from these cantina-gossip deals? Isn’t this what all this marble and silk was for?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She caught the sound of the Caped Crusader’s voice behind the door of the utility room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...and as I said, discretion is everything here. It’s why your going rate doesn’t scare me off,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake pushed the door button. She barely had time to take in her boss’ mustard shirt and royal blue cape (</span>
  <em>
    <span>power colors, this must be a serious one</span>
  </em>
  <span>) before he smiled at her with a look in his eyes she immediately recognized as bald relief. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there she is - Ariake, may I introduce Din Djarin...unless you already know each other?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando gestured toward someone Ariake hadn’t seen in maybe 20 years. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or really, it was the outfit, not the person. This Din Djarin was suited in full Mandalorian armor, gleaming beskar from helmet to leg grieves. Entering a corporate building didn’t stop him from having at least one visible blaster- chances are there was at least one more weapon beneath his cape. Even his leaning somewhat awkwardly against a rack of scrub brushes and marble cleaning bottles didn’t diminish the overall effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No armor paint, no clan insignia, and their helmet is still on...? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ari recovered. Taking a short inhale, she smiled tightly, holding out her hand, “We haven’t, but I didn’t grow up on-world so that doesn’t mean much. I’m Ariake Taisha, my mother’s of clan Taisha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Din. No clan.” And no hand, apparently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He must have noticed the surprise flitting across her face at that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If only I could see your eyes...but I can still practice.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She looked at him with a searching expression, quieting the mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Who are you? Where did you come from? Why does it feel like you’re already hiding something?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>This Din tilted his head toward hers, as if behind the blank eyepiece of the helmet, he was scanning her right back. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unnerving, but that’s pretty standard for a bounty hunter…? Still, how does a hired gun afford armor like that? Or who did you kill to get it?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ari’s eyes flashed at the last thought, and strangely, it felt like her feet were stuck to the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake will be going with you.” Lando cut back in, looking curiously between them, “She knows what information I need and how to get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s who I’m escorting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly, but let’s hope this bodyguard stuff is only for show, right?” Lando made a valiant attempt at a tension-easing chuckle and gestured toward Ariake. “I need to brief my staff, clearly - plan to leave by nightfall tonight. Oh, and take the back stairs out, would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din nodded, turning toward the door and heading out in one tight motion. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What was that about?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ari...I know you have questions, but let me explain first. Actually, let’s go to my office”</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ari followed him back out of the utility room, wondering why they didn’t just start in the office. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Is Lando afraid someone will see this guy coming in?  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her thoughts were interrupted by his etched glass door shutting behind them. Sinking into his oversized bantha-hide captain’s chair, Lando gestured to the slightly more threadbare guest chairs facing the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you look a little shaken, can I offer you a drink?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lando, it’s not even midday yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh...right. I might overlook that for myself, though” He shut his eyes for a moment, exhaling “Mia didn’t manage more than 3 hours last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt a swell of sympathy for her boss - at some point Lando the galactic raconteur had become Landonis Calrissian, (somewhat) respectable business owner and (genuinely committed) family man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you say Mia was making it all the way through the night?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando was digging through a bottom drawer. “There you are,” he murmured, as he pulled out a half-full bottle of Kashyyk whiskey, grabbing a glass with his other hand.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She was! Two nights in a row, too - I almost bought her a fathier to ride, I was so happy. But it didn’t last,” he sighed, rubbing his temples. “She’ll get one out of us eventually, though. That little girl’s got her daddy’s way; knows how to find the advantage. Anyway, this whole thing…” Lando stopped to take a sip of whiskey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake leaned forward. ‘Yeah, this whole thing. Doesn’t the giant New Republic logo and the marble flooring here mean our “meet bounty hunters in utility room” days are over?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Oh, those days will never be over for people like us, Ari! You’ve gotta embrace that - you stopped being completely straight-and-narrow the moment you decided to help me out with that disagreement with Nar Dasha and...loan repayments.” Lando’s lips pursed at the memory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That was far more about all the jewelry and contraband you were willing to part with, even if we couldn’t get the best rate in the Outer Rim on short notice. And you got me when I had just left the corporate accounting sweatshop on Courescant - I was unemployed, the Senate had just been dissolved, I was staying over on Orinda on my way home to Dantooine”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, yeah. Well, your mother’s loss was my gain. No one better for keeping an eye on my books and picking some good investments.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t try to butter me up now, Lando</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “And this investment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando nodded, glancing over her shoulder at the distorted reflection of one of the cleaner droids rolling toward the utility room.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Good thing we didn’t have this chat in our original location.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you know about this one, so that’s a start. It’s The Jewel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Jewel? That casino in Canto Bight?” Ari’s brow wrinkled. “That’s a CalCorp owning, I’m sure of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is - anything we invest in with Leith Bontrae is all official.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Bontrae is the majority owner and manager. So where do the bounty hunters come in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Patience, Ari! I’m pretty sure that’s a big part of becoming in-touch with the Force,” Lando winked at Ari’s frozen expression. “So Leith Bontrae: no little vendor in this New Republic marketplace. You may not know why - he went sour on a business deal with the Empire back before Yavin and immediately moved to Hutt space and started funnelling piles of credits to the Rebellion. It turned out to be about the smartest move he could make. Once the second Death Star came down, Leia was in no position to refuse any business license he could want. He must have his hands in just about every postwar rebuilding industry we’ve got...mining, agriculture, waste compaction…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ari nodded along, this squaring with her understanding of Bontrae (and allowing her to shake off the mortification of her boss reminding her he knew about her secret project).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, The Jewel is just one of Leith Bontrae’s many ventures, and maybe his attention is too distracted and that’s what explains this investor report they sent a week ago…” Lando brought up the projected visual display above his desk and a series of graphs and ledgers appeared. He beckoned Ariake over to stand behind him and take a look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well...it’s certainly...significant,” Ariake’s voice died out on the last word, getting lost in the glowing blue figures hovering above the desk. According to this report, The Jewel was bringing in hundreds of millions of credits a year, a number steadily growing every month. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up. “This will be a significant piece of CalCorp’s earnings by the end of the year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noted, Ms. Accountant. You see the problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s eyes shifted across the layout on the projection: graphs on operating expenses, employee counts, hotel occupancy, takings per slot machine and sabacc table for the last two years… She inhaled, and, knowing Lando never got tired of watching The Trick, shut her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Exhale slowly. See the pattern. See what doesn’t fit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ari slowly opened her eyes again, looking at Lando swishing his drink. “It’s too much money coming in. The growth in revenue, in what they’re making, doesn’t match the guest growth, or the number of employees. It can’t be explained by more people visiting the casino, which would also need more employees to take care of them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando cut in, “So either in the past two years The Jewel became </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> Canto Bight casino for super high rollers, or…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or these are doctored books, and Bontrae’s laundering some serious credits through the casino.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly. I saw this a week ago and it’s been stuck in my mind ever since. Now, this could all be completely on the level; maybe he’s found a way to attract every wartime big-wig to his gaming tables and not anyone else’s. But...I’ve got a bad feeling about it. Who looks twice at improving returns?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake smiled ironically. “An honorable and legitimate business owner does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And somehow, Ariake Middendorf Taisha, that’s what we are now!” Lando grinned and knocked his knuckles against the desk, dismissing the visual display. “Well, you were never dishonorable, at least. Not in the ways that counted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I never shot anyone, never dealt in sentients, and I tried not to push us toward Imperial deals...tried, anyway. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ari felt the twinge of regret that always rose when the Cloud City came to mind. She mentally shook it off, taking a seat again on the opposite side of the desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So now we’re back at the bounty hunter question: why not just go to Canto Bight yourself, meet with Bontrae, ask him?” Ariake questioned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because he and I may both be trying to pass ourselves off as fully legal, but we both know the real game. He’d wine and dine me for a few days, and shoo me off the planet with some vague promise of ‘more detailed books’. Or worse, if I came myself, he might sense the danger upfront; cause an uproar that could end up making the New Republic look just as corrupt as any Imperial lackey. We all willingly took his laundered money during the war- who knows who else is on the hook to him one way or another?" His wince made him pause for a moment, taking a sip of whiskey to recover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is why I want you to go - make it look like a routine visit from a CalCorp staff member. He’s never met you, and doesn’t know how close you are to me. Get in, shake a few hands, eat a few dinners. Get the real books, downloaded direct from his local network. You’re quicker and quieter than I am, plus you know exactly what to look for.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And if get caught, you can deny this mission ever came from you in the first place - I’m just a junior employee who went too far. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ariake couldn’t stop the cynical thought from passing through her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It shouldn’t take more than a day or two - hey, they might even let you have the local network access just by asking, if they have nothing to hide.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But in case it doesn’t work out that way - there’s our Mandalorian, Din”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In case it doesn’t, he’s your security. Now, his presence alone should do the trick - that beskar armor, the helmet! Guy looks like a solid wall. His job will be mostly to stand behind you when you’re moving through public areas, like the kind of bodyguard a rich Courescanti family would hire to keep an eye on their only child while she takes Canto Bight by storm on an Outer Rim gambling spree!” Lando wiggled his eyebrows with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake couldn’t help giggling at the mental image “Born on Courescant, sure, but rich? The data says no.” She locked eyes with Lando again and sighed, forcing him to get serious. ‘‘Where’d you find this guy, anyway?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Len Bidra, the bartender down at the Porriq spaceport cantina,” Seeing Ariake’s face, he continued on. “And, I did a little digging on him...he’s the real deal. One of the best bounty hunters in the Outer Rim, has been making a name for at least 15 years now. He’s delivered rich Mon Cal kids, Crimson Dawn snitches, even that ex-Imperial serial killer a few years ago.’’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake was impressed- Imperial Lt. Gene Poltran’s capture was all over the galactic news vids, even though the actual person who captured him wasn’t publicized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we put this job out to the Guild, and he’s who they sent?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, given how delicate this is, no. This isn’t Guild. It’s an unbreakable rule for them to be sworn to secrecy on a job’s details, I know that, but.. I don’t want this one advertised. I also don’t want to risk a broker picking us a hunter that does their usual bounty hunter thing and goes in blasting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Din’s not Guild, but he’s lasted in the Outer Rim for fifteen years? How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He uh...was Guild. The change in status was very recent.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait, what? Is that his secret? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you get kicked out of the Guild? All the bounties are paid through brokers, so it’s not like he failed to cut someone in. Even killing another bounty hunter on the way to a quarry, that’s probably not a banning offense.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but...kidnapping a bounty after you turn it in and take the payment for it, that’s really what the Guild can’t forgive,” Lando mirthlessly chuckled. “In fact, it’s enough of a no-no to get you a bounty on your own head.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s mouth dropped. “So Din is actively being hunted BY the Guild?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ari…” Lando’s voice dropped to a soothing murmur.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I’m supposed to get on his ship to fly thousands of lightyears across the galaxy just to get to a planet that’s known for bounty hunters having summer houses there?” Whatever poker face Ariake had was gone now; she found eyes darting from corner to corner like she was waiting for someone to acknowledge what was coming out of her boss’ mouth was indeed the most ridiculous thing she’d heard all week.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The remaining whiskey in Lando’s abandoned glass swished imperceptibly, but her eyes were immediately drawn to it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too much, Ari; accept these feelings, let them go...</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
  <span>Lando was talking over her thoughts “...and I was hoping we could talk about all this when you’re already on your way there, but...yes, that’s the whole situation</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake forced her voice to match the cool inner calm she was trying to nurture. “So, not only would Bontrae and his goons put eyes on us from the moment we docked at a Canto Bight spaceport, there’s also a non-zero chance we’d be blown up before we left the Phaeda system. Lando...how can you trust him this much? You’ve never even seen his face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando sardonically smiled. “According to my research, no one has. I didn’t know keeping the helmet on was a cultural norm with your people, by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not one I’ve heard of, but the only suit-wearing Mandos I know are my mom’s two brothers that still lived in the Mandalore system during the Empire, and a permanent helmet would have interfered with all the hot-hen wings and beer. Could be an old tradition...or maybe the reason he won’t take the helmet off is so none of the galaxy’s worth of bounty hunters looking to cash in on his head will recognize him?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The exasperation was causing an eye-twitch; bad news for an afternoon deep in the data viz. Ariake rubbed the corner of her right eye absently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up with a skeptical expression. “Are you sure he’s the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> person who can do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s the only one with the experience of quiet high-profile work who’s taking jobs outside the Guild right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s to stop him from just airlocking me after takeoff?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would he? We’re paying his going rate for a bounty just to be a bodyguard, but like a bounty, he got nothing upfront. The credits transfer when you and the books are back in my office, not a minute sooner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, right...I do have to ask one more question.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ariake leaned in and exhaled, looking down. After almost a decade of working for Lando, she knew he could handle her less externally-approved reactions; the long silences, the fixation on data patterns, and underneath all of this, the vulnerability of someone who never really knew life outside of war chaos. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is the danger with the bounty hunter the </span>
  <em>
    <span>real</span>
  </em>
  <span> reason why you don’t want to go instead? You’ve got a family now, and I’m the only person you can trust who’s still...expendable?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, kiddo.” Lando reached over and took her left arm. “You’re not expendable to me; you never have been. I wouldn’t send you if I thought this guy wasn’t on the level. But…” Lando looked off into the distance, doing his almost-trademark Pensive Business Leader face. He glanced back at Ariake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Call it a gut feeling, I guess. You’ve been working in this building’s basement pretty much non-stop for 3 years now. You leave Phaeda, what, twice a year? And just to go to Dantooine to see Relin. You haven’t even been to Courescant outside of short trips with me, and you grew up there!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake started to protest, but Lando gave the arm a reassuring squeeze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I know after Endor you needed some stability; you wanted to cook, to have a permanent address for once, but...Marcus would have wanted you to explore the galaxy we all fought for, to enjoy it. This is a chance to get back out there, see things, take a risk. Maybe there will even be some educational opportunities…?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando spread his hands like a sales pitch, allowing Ariake to scoff over the pain of hearing Marcus’ name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh yeah, I’m sure between The Jewel and a supposedly Mandalorian bounty hunter there’s a database-worth of Force knowledge to gain. You know the Mandalorians and the Jedi were enemies for hundreds of years, right? It’s part of the reason Relin was so insistent on me learning to keep it in check. She was afraid I’d get ‘scooped up by the Temple and taken away forever’. Little did she know there’s no way I’m sensitive enough to have been on their radar in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, perhaps - but if you’re trying to learn more about the Force now, it won’t hurt to try out what you can do in a new environment, will it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The true power of the living force flowing through me in back-room accounting espionage! Definitely what master Yoda had in mind.” Ariake nodded in fake-agreement, smirking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or, the power of convincing certain people to see your point of view with only a few words,” Lando said gently. “Which I’ve benefited from more than once, as you’ll remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...true.”  Ariake was about out of arguments, and underneath it, there was still a feeling lingering from her interaction with Din. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What’s going on there?</span>
  </em>
  <span>  What bounty was worth becoming an enemy of the entire Guild, especially if it wasn’t like he was lounging on a tropical beach on Sesid. He was still taking jobs. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Did he still have it with him now?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked up. “Four days?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tops. And if you take longer than that, I’ll send Luke Skywalker himself to come get you. Come on, Ari, take a gamble on it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lando smiled mischievously and stood up, straightening out the cape behind him. Clearly, he knew he’d worn her down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get the books from the network, store them someplace safe, and come back as soon as you can - don’t try and dig into the numbers there, we’ll take a look when you’re back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to the cabinet behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, two more things...hold out your hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In her left hand he placed his own gold bar necklace with the single Socorran black diamond twinkling. In her right, a compact stun blaster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Both are for luck; both have gotten me out of trouble before. Keep them close.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake nodded slowly, her lips pursing. She set down the gun to work the necklace clasp.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I still can’t do it, Lando. I can’t shoot somebody,” she murmured, looking down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. But if you have to use it, you won’t kill them. Leave the rest to Din.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clearly couldn’t resist a last joke. “After all, when have the Mandalorians ever had a hangup with shooting people?” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Our heroine, Ariake Taisha, dedicated accounting professional and generally-satisfied background player. She works for someone pretty famous, she's got enough Force sensitivity to want to be curious about it, but ultimately, she loves cooking, her remaining family, and a quiet post-war life. All good, but for the 'young, healthy, and brave, but doesn't want any sort of adventure' thing; that's worrisome, and will be changing in a big way over the next few chapters. </p><p>This has that 'Chapter 2 is 5x longer than Chapter 1' issue going on; I promise that won't become a habit with like exponentially-longer chapters. Hoping to do a chapter a week after this - my day job is also fairly writing-heavy, so here's hoping I still have some left in the tank to wrap Chapter 3 this week. </p><p>PS: The planet names are all from the Star Wars galaxy map: hopefully the area and details mentioned aren't directly contradicted somewhere else!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Off we go!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun was casting an amber glow as it sunk below the jagged mountains ringing the city’s western edge. Din stood on the landing pad next to the Razor Crest’s open gangway, and mentally repeated the preflight checklist - the Razor Crest was fully fueled for the long lightspeed journey (courtesy of CalCorp’s credit line), all systems were confirmed operational, and he’d manually the charted the fastest course to the planet of Cantonica, aiming for one of Canto Bight’s more remote spaceports. </p><p>Most importantly, The Child was already fresh from an afternoon bath at the Phaeda hot springs and was now tucked away in the weapons locker, out of sight from Calrissian’s accountant. <em> How am I going to keep him quiet in there for four days? I can feed him when she’s sleeping, but I’ll have to find a reason to head to the ship at least twice a day when we’re in Canto Bight. </em></p><p>The sound of a speeder approaching drew his attention from these thoughts. A Nautolan was driving, his escort riding in the passenger seat with one carrier bag across her lap and a storage cube tied onto the roof space behind them. She got out, swung the bag strap over her shoulder, leaned in to speak for moment before hugging the Nautolan goodbye, and headed toward the Razor Crest.</p><p><em> No wonder Calrissian thought she needed a bodyguard for this trip: </em> <em>she’s solidly-built but barely comes up to my chin. No indication of particular stealth training or even basic spatial awareness, </em> he thought as she tripped on a curb and nearly dropped the storage cube. </p><p>
  <em> Light skin, medium brown hair, maybe a shade lighter than mine...where did that thought come from? </em>
</p><p>Ariake looked up and Din and smiled in greeting, looking a touch impatient. “Good to see you again - could you please grab this?” </p><p>“Why do you need so many supplies, this is a four day trip.”</p><p>“Well, I still have work to do on the way there, and travelling as a representative of Lando Calrissian requires…’extra materials’.” She indicated the cube.</p><p>He took it from her, and she looked up at the Razor Crest, brushing a stray hair off her face that had fallen from her bun.</p><p>“So, this is the ship.”</p><p>“Yes, it is.”</p><p>“The ship that will take us all the way across the galaxy to Canto Bight. And back.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“And...you’re confident it can make it all the way there? There’s a dealer here on Phaeda that owes Lando a favor...”</p><p>“I’m confident.” Din cut in, feeling his brow furrow under the helmet. <em> Leave the ship selection to people who actually fly them. </em></p><p>“Right, ok.” Her expression did not look relieved. “Let’s get this stuff onboard.” She stepped onto the gangplank, bag in hand. </p><p>“Wait - before you get on, are you carrying anything that transmits information?”</p><p>Ariake looked non-plussed. “Of course. I don’t carry the whole of CalCorp’s accounts in my head, I need to remote access some of this to do my work. I also should check in with my boss so he knows I’m still alive.”</p><p>“I can’t have that equipment on the ship. Nothing that can be traced.” </p><p>He winced slightly after finishing the sentence. <em> That’s the perfect way to get her suspicious, and it isn’t like she hasn’t picked up on something already. </em></p><p>Ariake’s eyes narrowed as she put a hand on a gangplank pole. “You have nothing to worry about there - it’s encrypted on both sides. Both the information itself, and the transmission locations can’t be traced by someone without the encryption key, which only Lando has. This is beyond Republic government encryption; they can’t see in either.” Her lips tightened into a conversation-finishing half-smile.</p><p>“I don’t have a choice about this, do I.”</p><p>Ariake turned to fully face him, looking up over the storage cube he was still holding. Her dark brown eyes matched the intensity he saw in Calrissian’s utility closet. The wisp had fallen back across her face.</p><p>“No. Not if you want to get paid.” Ariake’s voice was serious, but softer than he expected, like she instantly melted the annoyance out of it somehow. “Look, I know you’re running from someone - from a lot of someones. I don’t know what you did, but I have to trust you to get me to Canto Bight and back safely with the information. I’m not going to do anything to put us at risk. I hope that’s true for you, too.”</p><p>Din felt himself exhale. “No, as little risk as possible.”</p><p>“Or at least, nothing to put the money at risk, right?” She absently shook the gangplank pole when she released it, like she was testing exactly how rickety this ship was. </p><p> Din followed her into the ship.<em> I should have told Calrissian I’d just go get the data myself. </em>He set the storage cube against the opposite wall and retracted the gangplank, shutting the door to the outside. Ariake’s left fist clenched. </p><p>
  <em> Maybe the tour will help her relax - get her away from the weapons locker with The Child, too. </em>
</p><p>“So, the ship has two levels,” Din gestured around them, “down here is mostly cargo space, with medical equipment, bathroom, weapons, and ahhh...freezer.”</p><p>“Oh, right, ok.” Ariake’s voice was artificially light, but Din noticed her gazed lingered on the carbonite freezer, the single light above it buzzing. Her face settled into a vaguely horrified expression. </p><p>
  <em> She knows what bounty hunters use carbonite freezers for.  </em>
</p><p>“It’s...some bounties don’t exactly want to be delivered...:”</p><p>Ariake did not look reassured by this. “Are you freezing them alive or keeping their corpses fresh for the trip back?”, she blurted out. </p><p><em> Both? </em>He said nothing.</p><p>She opened her mouth, stopped, looked down and quickly shook her head, like a hound dislodging a fly.</p><p>“And that’s not...my business. Never mind, I shouldn’t be asking.” </p><p>“The Guild wouldn’t let me tell you anything more, anyway,” Din stepped between her and the carbonite freezer and gestured toward to the right, trying to physically cut this awkward conversation short. “The ladder goes to the second level. Cockpit, living space, sleep pods.”</p><p>Ariake nodded, settling her suitcase strap before she climbed up ahead of him. Din silently sighed, glancing at the weapons locker. <em> She didn’t catch on...just stay quiet in there a little longer, Kid.  </em></p><p> At the top, the landing split, with the cockpit door to the left and the living space to the right. </p><p>“Right side,” Din called up from below. He heard the pneumatic woosh of the door as he clambered up. </p><p>“It’s definitely...cozy”. Ariake stood in the center of the room, a tight square space painted light brown with cooking unit and counters against the right wall, two sleep pod doors built into the left. In the center, a single metal table was mounted the floor, with two empty storage cubes haphazardly tucked in underneath as chairs. </p><p>“I don’t spend much time here, I’m usually in the cockpit,” he said, somewhat apologetically. <em> The Child didn’t leave anything out back here that I missed, did he? </em></p><p>Ariake glanced around, looking pensive. “No, it’s fine, I can work back here. Are you left or right?” she asked, gesturing toward sleep pod doors. </p><p>“Left. When this was a Republic patrol ship, there were always two pilots. Otherwise I have no need for two.”</p><p>
  <em> Until now.  </em>
</p><p>“Well, that’s lucky - would get crowded with just one.” She raised her eyebrows, tentatively playful.</p><p>“Erm, yeah, I guess”. <em>Cool and confident response, excellent. </em>Her face fell back into its tense expression. “So, leave your things here, and come to the cockpit - we’ll be taking off in a few minutes.”</p><p>Ariake dropped her bag and followed him through the two doors. She stopped in the cockpit doorway, taking it in. Two battered chairs criss crossed with electric tape, an array of formerly-chrome-plated switches, visuals with regular warps flickering on the screen corners. Din tensed in the pilot’s chair, braced for another remark about the Razor Crest’s worse-for-wear condition. Glancing behind him, he was surprised to see her face slacken, eyes softening and lips parting.</p><p>“You ok?”</p><p>“...Oh! Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” Ariake replied in a dazed voice. “I wasn’t sure at first, but being in the cockpit...I’ve spent time on ship like this before.”</p><p>“You have?” Din had started the pre-flight checklist, adjusting dials and confirming course on the navigational computer. “You seem too young to have served in the Republic.”</p><p>“I was. It...doesn’t matter, we should just take off.” Ariake’s voice sharpened at the end of the statement, like she’d almost said too much. </p><p><em> Have it your way, </em> Din thought, still curious how a Courescanti working for a smuggler would have ever seen the inside of an Outer Rim patrol ship before. </p><p>“Course is set, it will take about 16 hours to make it to surface of Cantonica. Grab a seat and buckle in, the wind sheer off the mountains will make this a bumpy one.”</p><p>Ariake took the copilot’s seat to the right of him, snapping the buckle. </p><p>“No nav droid for this long of a flight?”</p><p>“No droids.”</p><p>She nodded blankly,  staring out the right cockpit window like it could be the last time she’d see the ground.</p><p>The ship comms system crackled to life. “Razor Crest, this is Tower, you are cleared for departure from docking bay 4.”</p><p>“Copy that, Tower, departing 4,” Din reached over Ariake’s head to toggle right thrusters.</p><p>“...Hey, it’s Tower again…” Indistinct giggles, and a different voice. </p><p>“Make it fast, this could cost me my job,” the original male voice muttered.</p><p> “Yeah, yeah, ok, gimme a second,” </p><p>Din turned his head to look at Ariake, who looked mortified.</p><p>The comms blasted with Malena’s yells. “Have a great trip to Canto Bight, Ari! Hit the slots for me; I know you think they’re dumb, but you never know! I miss you already. Oh, and Shiny Boy, if you hurt a hair on her head, just one hair, I won’t need to put a bounty out because I’ll find you and beat that chrome dome in myself. Got it? Ok, good luck, bye!”</p><p>Ariake covered her face with her hands, making a few sputtering sounds. When she brought her hands slowly back down, her cheeks were red from holding in laughter. </p><p>
  <em> Shiny Boy? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>------</p><p> </p><p>Two hours later, Din had the Razor Crest soaring along smoothly in lightspeed. He leaned back in the pilot’s chair, looking up at the stars streaking by. Even without a nav droid, once the ship was in lightspeed it didn’t require active steering. But this was still the place where he was happiest, slicing through the profound silence of space. </p><p>He could hear Ariake moving around. He had gone back about half an hour earlier, after taking a trip downstairs to check on The Child, who was thankfully sleeping.</p><p>Din opened the living space door to see Ariake facing the back wall, portable visual display set up and projecting on the table. There were news feed chirons from Courescant, Ord Mantell, and Nal Hutta flowing across the top and bottom of the screen, along with a subtitled video showing the ribbon-cutting on a Naboo vocational school. She was leaning forward while standing, stylus in hand, moving data outputs around in the center with a stylus while a series of connected charts adjusted projections. </p><p>“Woah.”</p><p>“Huh?” He hadn’t noticed her headphones, which she pulled down onto her shoulders while turned to face him. </p><p>“All this...what are you doing?” </p><p>Her face tightened while she quickly dismissed two of the graphs before he could see the titles. “Working. Isn’t the Guild policy no questions asked?” </p><p>
  <em> Of course, why am I asking the client questions I don’t need to know? </em>
</p><p>“Yeah, yeah it is. I’ll leave you to it.” He turned to head back to the cockpit.</p><p>“Wait - Din. I’m sorry, that was rude. Most people don’t really care what I’m doing, as long as it makes them money. I’m not used to anyone asking.” She sighed. “It’s...creating pictures, really. I look for patterns in the data and where there are holes in the pattern, like missing information or an opportunity to explore, I find what’s needed to fill the hole. It’s like an art to me, I get lost in it,” she smiled shyly, shrugging. “Not exactly capturing Arvalan pirates or rich-kid runaways, I know.”</p><p>“No, it...sounds interesting.” She was framed by the blue light of the visual display behind her, her body angled toward him, deep brown eyes sparkling as she talked about the job. Din hard swallowed. <em> Stay focused, Djarin. </em>“If you need anything, let me know.”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>"You can also call me Mando, if you want. That’s what clients usually do.”</p><p>“Mando, short for Mandalorian?” she looked curious, pulling out a storage cube to sit on. He nodded. “Are you usually the only one in a room? I can’t imagine people calling me Courescanti, or Dantooinian…”</p><p>“You were born there, you didn’t pledge a creed to Courescant.” Ariake nodded in allowance. “I don’t want my real name circulated that much. There aren’t that many Mandalorian bounty hunters, so the nickname does the job.”</p><p>“You’re not the first one I’ve met, actually,” she said, grimacing.  “But ok, I’ll call you Mando when we’re in Canto Bight. You can call me Ari if you want to make it nicknames-only.”</p><p>“I prefer Ariake; bodyguards don’t use nicknames. And it’s pretty.” <em> She can’t see your face, you don’t need to look away to hide the blush from saying that inane comment.  </em></p><p>“...Thank you, compliments to my mother, I guess? It is a Mandalorian name...anyway, I should get back to this,” she gestured behind her to the screen. </p><p>“Yeah, of course. Talk to you in a few hours.”</p><p>“Until then, Din.” Her small wink surprised him. </p><p> </p><p>……</p><p> </p><p>Now, two hours later, he was still in the cockpit, sketchbook in hand. Of all the skills he picked up in Fighting School, drawing was certainly what he was least famous for.  As he shaded in the crags on one of mountains framing Porriq from earlier that day, he returned to the thought buzzing in the back of his head. </p><p><em> Why is this Courescanti snob distracting me? Is it because she says she’s the child of a Mandalorian? </em>He sighed, glancing at the fuel reserve gauge. </p><p>Time to remind himself of the mission objectives. </p><p>
  <em> She’s just being polite - when she’s not completely closed-off. You’re not going to exist to her after she gets back to Phaeda with the information. And that’s how it should be. Keep your distance, treat her like a client, and make sure whatever happens, she doesn’t discover The Child.  </em>
</p><p>Suddenly, the cockpit door slid open. <em> Did the kid get up the ladder? </em>Din whipped around in the chair and saw Ariake in the doorway, now with an apron on, looking embarrassed.</p><p>“Should have knocked, sorry - have you eaten dinner yet?”</p><p>“Ah, no, I haven’t.” Din tried to subtly tuck the sketchbook back under his chair.  “If you’re hungry, there’s some freeze-dried rations in the cabinets, some frozen soup…” Din’s voice trailed off.</p><p>“Mmm, freeze-dried rations- but I can do a little better.” <em> Of course you can, </em> Din couldn’t stop himself from thinking, pursing his lips. Ariake continued, “I bought ingredients a few days ago for Dantooine curry puffs. Now that I’m not going to be home to make it, I didn’t want it all to go to waste. Would you like a bowl?”</p><p>“Sure, yeah,” <em> Not the direction I thought this was going. </em> “But I can’t eat out there with you…”</p><p>Ariake nodded, unsurprised. “The helmet doesn’t come off anywhere someone else can see you.”</p><p>“Exactly.”</p><p>Her voice softened as she leaned against the door frame. “How long has it been since…”</p><p>“Someone saw my face? What was that about no questions asked?” He couldn’t resist. </p><p>Ariake winced, swinging a fist against her left leg. “You’re right. My curiosity gets the better of me sometimes.”</p><p>“I was around 16 when I pledged the Creed, and 18 when I graduated from Fighting School. Twenty years now.” He turned away and pretended to check the navigational computer.</p><p>“Twenty years.” She shook her head in wonder. “Strange. I’ve never met a Mandalorian that follows this rule before.” </p><p>“Then the ones you’ve met are not real Mandalorians.” </p><p>Ariake turned back toward the living space, chuckling. “You should tell them that, see what happens.”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>The smell of simmering curry was wafting into the cockpit. Din noticed he was feeling oddly at ease, possibly for the first time since meeting The Child. </p><p>
  <em> Maybe knowing she’s cooking means she’s not going to stumble on anything or anyone else?  </em>
</p><p>As if he invited trouble with the thought, he heard an unmistakable sound - a door opening on the first level. </p><p>
  <em> No. No, stay in there. How did you even get the door open from the inside?  </em>
</p><p>The sound of stirring stopped.</p><p>
  <em> Please think it was a door malfunction. </em>
</p><p>Ariake’s voice had a hard edge he hadn’t heard before. “There’s someone else here.” </p><p>“Ariake, wait”. He leapt up from the chair and opened the cockpit door to see her facing him across the landing, the metal ladder in between them. She was looking down the ladder with a panicked look in her eyes.</p><p>“I could feel it the moment I stepped on this flying scrap heap, but I thought it was just nerves and maybe the poor victims of your carbonite freezer.” </p><p>“No, it’s…”</p><p>She looked up at Din, mouth twisting. “What kind of desert rock hustle is this?! Were you and your hidden friend down there going to wait until we got to deep space and then sell me off to Zygerrian slavers, or try and hold me for ransom? I promise you, Lando Calrissian doesn’t have big-ransom pockets right now, not when he could turn you into the Guild and save the cash.”</p><p>“It’s not like that, let me go down and I can show you...”</p><p>But Ariake had already grabbed the ladder rungs. </p><p>“All right, let’s get a look at you,” she shouted while climbing down. “Put the blaster down, I’m worth nothing to you dead.”</p><p>“Ariake…” Din was half way down the ladder. He heard her run towards the open weapons locker. </p><p>“So what kind of cut are you getting for this kidna…”</p><p>Din grabbed her arm, but she’d already stopped. “Kid,” she repeated, in a barely-audience voice. </p><p> </p><p>The Child was standing in the weapons locker, in front of the locked case of grenades. He looked up, reached a hand to Ariake, and cooed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This one's a little light on action, admittedly. And it's not just because I get bored writing action and prefer dialogue (shocker); I wanted to do some lazy character development to set things up for later. </p><p>Hey, at least everyone's favorite character makes an appearance? No interest in writing a story where he sleeps all the time, although I need to find some synonyms for 'coo'. All suggestions appreciated there.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Are we there yet? No.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ariake Taisha was not a chatty person by nature, but her strong natural curiosity meant when she saw something incredible, she was rarely lost for words. In this case, it was more that so many words were jostling to come out at once, she struggled to keep her mouth shut for fear of which one would win.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How...who…?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, she dropped down to her right knee, dimly feeling Din’s hand slacken on her arm. The Child was still looking up at her as she came closer to eye level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello,” she whispered, aware of the astonished expression on her face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child squeaked in response, shaking his right hand slightly as it reached toward her. She held out her finger toward him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the moment they touched, she was thrown into a golden space, sunlight pouring in through massive windows to warm the marble floor tiles. There was a deep peace in her soul, despite Ariake having no idea where she was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> In another flash of light, the golden room darkened; someone was screaming. A child. Many children? Behind her she could feel a presence approaching, self-righteous malice tangible, sparkling. She was frozen, filled with a bottomless terror she’d only known once before - on Cloud City, years ago, when she met Vader. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake...Ariake!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beyond the room someone was calling her name, holding her shoulders. Her hand fell away from The Child’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Here I am...Razor Crest, Canto Bight, Vader gone, Marcus gone…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes opened slowly, taking in the dusty ceiling of the Razor Crest’s cargo area. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Din said, behind her. There was an edge of panic in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child’s face had turned stormy and pained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ahh, I...don’t know. I saw things. Maybe a memory, or a nightmare. I don’t know what it means.” she realized she was panting, had fallen backward from her kneeling position,  and Din had managed to catch her before she hit the ship’s floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Deep breath, Ari. Pull it together. You’re ok. Deal with all this later, alone. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She sat forward and Din released her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” she said over her shoulder, smiling weakly. Leaning down toward The Child, she murmured, “I don’t know what you’re telling me, or even if you’re trying to.” She smiled sadly. “I’m sorry, little one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The disappointment in his eyes was heartbreaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I need to explain a few things,” Din murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think you do,” Ariake laughed shakily. “But let’s talk upstairs, it’s more comfortable. Hey,” she motioned to pick up The Child, who held out both arms to her, “Do you like to cook? I love to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite an engine-powered heating unit that sputtered out every few minutes and needed a well-placed kick to motivate it, the curry puffs were rising decently well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child was standing on the table, ‘helping’ by peeling the shells off some hardboiled mira-bird eggs, while Din and Ariake stood to the side in serious conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you have no idea where he came from? Not even what his name is?” she whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, nothing before The Client.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And there’s no way to just...make this Client disappear? I’m not suggesting kill him, clearly...” </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re talking to a bounty hunter, ‘kill him’ is always an option.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “But maybe if we paid off the right person, it would get him to stop looking...?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How much money do you think it would take to make an Imperial remnant go away?” Din remarked dryly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I knew the answer to that, I’d be the head of the banking clan by now.” Ariake raised her eyebrows, smirking. She glanced over at the pot on the heating unit, the cover now jiggling with bubbling heat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, looks like it’s ready! Thanks for helping, kid, and only eating how many eggs when I wasn’t looking? Two? Three?” she winked at The Child, who made a halfway-convincing effort at looking ashamed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t steal Ariake’s food,” Din admonished. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok, I was originally going to be making this for four people anyway.” She spooned some curry puffs into a bowl and held it out to Din. “Let me know what you think of it - maybe make delicious-food noises extra loudly from the cockpit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din nodded, silently took the bowl, and headed back to the cockpit.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re welcome. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ariake rolled her eyes, but without the level of irritation she would have felt a half-hour earlier. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Manners are horrendous, sense of humor apparently non-existent, but he does have at least one redeeming quality...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess you and I will have to keep each other company, huh?” she said to The Child, sitting down at the table. The small cup of curry she filled for him was gone in a few sips, and he watched her eat her portion. Ariake twiddled the spoon in her hand, staring off into space.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hmm, didn’t get the spice balance exactly right, but you can’t get really fresh Dantooinian smoke-peppers offworld, so it was bound to be slightly off...next time, a touch more salt, too...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Behind the cockpit doors, there was the sound of a throat clearing, and in a voice just loud enough to be heard, “Yum.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sleep pod was not quite what Ariake expected. Instead of a single cot that the pilot would lie down on and press a button to roll back into the wall, this pod was wide enough for both a single bed against the left wall, and a nightstand against the right.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Less coffin, more prison cell,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she thought grimly. But someone at some point did some decorating here- light purple paint was certainly not Republic regulation. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The handiwork of an old copilot, maybe? Or a girlfriend...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake sighed, digging her pajamas out of the suitcase, now tucked next to the nightstand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What  a rough day. I should probably sit down and search my feelings.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She was only about 40% sure she was doing this right; the Clone War era vids she’d found in the library on Phaeda were long on dramatic wartime narration and short on actual Jedi technique. Still, practice is practice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She changed out of her work clothes, feeling like it was several years since she put them on this morning. The stun blaster and Lando’s necklace were both left on the nightstand. Crossing her legs on the cot, she shut her eyes, and began to breathe deeply.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Here I am - what am I feeling?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ughhhh what am I NOT feeling right now? Ok, ok, look at it like data. One piece at a time- see it, allow it, accept it….</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>This was perhaps a non-Temple-approved spin on the ritual: once her mother Relin saw that the result of her five year old daughter losing her temper at her older brother’s teasing was two of his model Star Destroyers soaring out the window seemingly on their own, ‘See it, allow it, accept it’ became the family mantra. Allowing and accepting were for feelings, though, not other people’s actions - the difference there had already cost two family members their lives. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She teased out each feeling from the tangled knot in her chest. Doubt, fear, confusion, nerves, frustration. Ariake sighed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No surprise there</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But underneath all that, there was something else, that felt somehow like...excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake didn’t find her daily life boring; she had more than enough focus to keep even the most monotonous file-cleaning task from dragging her down. She learned years ago that if she couldn’t be happy, she could at least keep herself distracted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, happiness was a passing bit of luck. Nothing to depend on; nothing to hurt yourself looking for. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This day may have given me way more than I was ready for, but still...in some small way, I’m excited for tomorrow. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Facing this truth gave her the even, flowing peace that always seemed to eventually come with the Jedi ritual. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Canto Bight, here we come - get ready, kid,” she murmured aloud, slipping under the covers. In the artificial darkness, and with the Razor Crest’s lightspeed engines humming in the background, she quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was about an hour later a creaking noise broke her peace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whaa, hello?” She called out, bleary and confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Through the wall beside her head, she heard the sound of metal clanking in a pile.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Armor.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, didn’t realize you could hear that,” Din’s voice was both muffled and slightly echoing off the hard ship interior walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s all right- but can we both sleep at the same time? Doesn’t someone have to...watch the ship?” She croaked, squeezing her eyes shut with embarrassment. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Well, that’s your dumbest question yet, Ari. Good to hit the record this early in the trip.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>If Din chuckled, she didn’t hear it, though. ”The ship’s course is set, and we still have 10 hours to go. If something happens, the alarms would wake us both up. Hold on,”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Is that reassuring? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ariake’s brow furrowed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a clear creaking sound and sudden crackle in her right ear. She shot up in bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh, wasn’t sure this would still work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din’s voice, now far clearer, was coming out of a previously-unnoticed small circular speaker built into the wall a foot or so above Ariake’s pillow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! That’s...something. Was this on all the time?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No - either side can turn off the speaker for both. There’s also a mic on the right side of the speaker, with a button underneath. Press to talk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake reached over and felt the button, leaning forward to speak into the microphone. “What was this set-up for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Slumber parties, clearly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake snorted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The thought was if the ship was ever boarded by pirates, if the pilot and copilot were trapped in the pods, they could plan an escape without alerting them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, gotcha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a clarity to Din’s voice, almost a naturalness...</span>
  <em>
    <span> he wasn’t wearing the helmet.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.</span>
  <em>
    <span> In twenty years, how many people can say they’ve heard his voice without a helmet? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His sigh brought her out of her thoughts. “Before you fall asleep again, are you sure you’re all right? I understand if you didn’t want to make the kid feel bad…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ok, really. It’s not the first time something like this has happened, these flashes. But it’s the strongest I’ve ever felt. I think it was intentional; he was trying to show me something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” His voice dropped. “I’m sorry I hid him, but I think you can understand why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I understand.” She found she could still talk leaning back on the pillow, and angled her face closer to the microphone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know what’s next, but...I have to find a home for him.” there was a shifting sound, and Ariake realized his pod must be the mirror of hers. His bed was only a wall apart. “I’m asking you to keep this secret. Tell no one; forget about all of this once the job is over. ”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guild-style?” Ariake weakly joked. It didn’t take Force-sensitivity for her to sense how it landed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do what I have to, to protect him. Whatever it takes. You’ve worked in the Outer Rim long enough to know what that means.” He sounded solemn, almost sad.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is hardly the first time I’ve been threatened, but it is the first time it came from someone in bed.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, this wasn’t like the usual empty bluster of a spaceport administrator upset at Lando’s chronically-late docking fees. Ariake paused before responding; this was perhaps the most serious threat ever directly issued to her, and yet she couldn’t hold it against him. Ever since she saw what was in the weapons locker, he became more real to her, less of a mindless mercenary. She now knew there was someone who mattered to him more than money, even if she didn’t know what exactly he’d be capable of doing to protect them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Haltingly, she pressed the mic button, putting her other hand against the wall. “Protect the innocent, this is the Way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt his sharp intake of before she heard it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is the Way,” he murmured. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The speaker button clicked off and she heard nothing else for the rest of the night. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, it's short and sweet. I originally wanted to roll this into the next chapter, but it was getting far too long and I needed a perspective shift midway through, so I split them out. Good news to my 10 readers (love you guys), that means there will be another chapter in less than a week (hopefully). </p><p>For visual reference, I'm basing my description of the Razor Crest's interior on Max Degtyarev's amazing cross-section art on Behance. What he didn't make up, I did (no sleeping pods in his work, but who wants to sleep in the cockpit every night? The Star Wars universe can't have eliminated sciatica).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Viva Canto Bight! After a bit more space time, at least.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ari, you there? This connection is terrible.”</p><p>Ariake Taisha sighed. “Probably hyperspeed interference; we're still two hours away.”</p><p>On the table in the Razor Crest’s living space, Lando Calrissian’s projected self warped and fuzzed over. He still was clear enough for the passengers to see his baby daughter Mia propped up on his right hip.</p><p>“All right, between your interference and this one just about to start fussing for her bottle, let me keep it short. You doing ok so far?”</p><p>Ariake nodded, glancing to her right, where Din Djarin was sitting. Lando followed her gaze, inclining his head in understanding. <em> What would she be telling him if I wasn’t right here? </em> He wondered, feeling the edge of wariness he threw off last night return. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah, we’re doing all right. Ready to get it started,” she responded.</p><p>“Well, almost ready, anyway,” Lando smirked at Ariake, while she made an exasperated sigh. “I see you haven’t quite put that armor on.”</p><p><em> Armor? </em> Din looked at Ariake, but she was focused on the projection.</p><p>“You know I’ll get suited up, Lando, I know the drill. So what’s the plan?”</p><p>Lando adjusted Mia on his hip, while she tugged at his cape fastening. “All right, so you have docking space at Docking Bay 8, located about 15 clicks outside the Canto Bight city center. Bontrae’s people know you’re coming but they don’t know why; I told them this was a regular visit, and you’re an emissary I send to all my prominent investments to report back to me.”</p><p>“Ok,” she nodded. “That gives us options for how much truth we need to tell when we get in.”</p><p>“Exactly,” responded Lando. “So you should be met at the docking bay by The Jewel management, who can ferry you back to The Jewel, get you checked into the hotel, that kind of thing. It’s two adjoining rooms in the midlevel area; I picked the mountain and valley view rather than looking down on the city and the Grand Casino. Better for stargazing.”</p><p>“And cheaper, I’m sure.” Ariake grinned. </p><p>“Ms. Taisha, how can you say such a thing when you know how exactly how free I am with my budget?” Lando’s laugh was cut short by Mia getting a particularly good grasp of the fastening and tugging on his neck. </p><p>“Sweetheart, bigger women than you have tried to strangle me to death, and none have succeeded so far.” He managed to get her hands to release, but not without triggering some tears.</p><p>Lando continued. “Ok, so, now you’re checked in. Use your judgement, but I’d go right to the administrative offices off of casino floor - make whatever excuse you need to plug into their servers and download the books directly. It may not be that simple, but I’m sure you two can improvise the plan when you’re on the ground. If they threaten you, though, abort the mission. Leave right then if you have to. It’s not worth getting hurt, and a threat alone is evidence enough for a full Republic investigation.” Lando’s face turned grim for a moment, before resetting into his earlier confident smile.</p><p>“But, once you do have the books on the datastick, whatever time you have left is yours to enjoy. Din,” he turned toward the bounty hunter with a smile, “Enjoy a game of sabacc?”</p><p>“Don’t know how to play. Picked up a lot of people who were on the run because of it, though.” </p><p>He couldn’t miss Lando’s blanch at that remark, although Ariake covering her mouth to giggle made him wish not for the first time that he could show when he was winking. </p><p>“Right...any questions?”</p><p>Ariake looked up. “Will Bontrae be there? Should we be prepared to meet him?”</p><p>Lando shook his head, “The vids show he was on Courescant for a government meeting a few days ago, so I wouldn’t think so. But be prepared, either way. CalCorp’s finest is about to hit the glittering city - don’t gamble with company money!” </p><p>He raised his left hand to wave goodbye, while Mia did an uncanny impression with her right hand. The transmission ended.</p><p><em> Not exactly an airtight plan, </em>Din thought. He reached under the table, where The Child had been mercifully quiet, rolling his throttle ball between his hands. Din plopped him on the table between himself and Ariake.</p><p>She smiled at the The Child and glanced up at Din.</p><p>“Still more or less what you signed up for?”</p><p>“More or less.”</p><p>“How much do you know about Leith Bontrae?”</p><p>“Not much - he was a big name during the war, but I never saw a job put out from him.”</p><p>Ariake nodded. “I think that was intentional. Everything I’ve read suggests he’s tried to be as close to a legitimate businessman as you can get in the Outer Rim.” She flipped on the portable visual display she was using for work before, now pulling up a few news articles.”He’s a Gran, from Malastare originally. Made his first fortune in Malastarian fuel, and immediately started diversifying, investing in a little bit of everything, legal and….less-than. Eventually he used the profits to become a huge Rebellion backer.”</p><p>Din gently scooted The Child away from the visual display, where he was waving his hand across the blue light. “So Calrissian said.”</p><p>“Nowadays, he’s in the news for things like sponsoring a non-profit for war orphans, Imperial stormtrooper rehabilitation efforts, and the success of his new freight shipping line,” Ariake said, bringing up each article with her stylus as she talked. “The man is a mogul, and The Jewel is just one venture of many. My hope is that it’s small enough part of the portfolio that a visit from Lando Calrissian’s people won’t even merit a mention from his associates.”</p><p>“But if it’s a big enough laundering front…”</p><p>Ariake closed her eyes and winced. “That’s what I’m afraid of. It’s my first time to Canto Bight, too. You ever been?”</p><p>“Once, on a job. It was at the Grand Casino, not one of the newer ones like The Jewel.”</p><p>“How’d it go?”</p><p>“Bad. More casualties than there needed to be.”</p><p>Ariake looked down and mirthlessly laughed. “All right, Mando, thanks for encouraging words.”</p><p>She started getting up, but then a thought occurred to her.</p><p>“One more thing - after last night, I had an idea.”</p><p>Din hard swallowed<em> . Last night, when I crossed more than a few lines I’ve never crossed with a client before. </em>“Yes?”</p><p>“The Child - he could come into The Jewel’s hotel with us, stay in your room. If anyone asks, he’s my pet.”</p><p>“Yeah, that could work…” Din turned in the chair to face Ariake full-on. “You would be all right with that?”</p><p>She smiled as The Child rolled the toggle ball toward her on the table, bumping it back to him with her fingers. “Of course. I don’t want to think about him in the Razor Crest for two days alone, waiting for you to come back to feed him. Plus, he’s safer where we can keep an eye on him. Or you can, anyway.” She looked away, apparently feeling she’d overstepped.</p><p>“I’m not about to turn down help.” he responded dryly, turning back to The Child and sighing with mock-exhaustion. “It’s about 90 minutes until arrival; I’m going to take the kid back to the cockpit with me. You need to do something about armor…?”</p><p>"Oh! One of Lando’s favorite jokes, you’ll see.” Ariake gave a cryptic chuckle, getting up and heading to the landing to fetch her storage cube from the cargo area below.</p><p>----</p><p>Din was adding more detail to the leafy tree in the corner of his Porriq cityscape sketch. Like the city he just left, Canto Bight was also tucked in the valley between two mountain ranges. Unlike the cool, wet Phaeda, though, Cantonica had an arid desert climate. </p><p><em> Back to spending every night dusting sand out of everything. </em> He sighed. </p><p>He casually flipped through the pages of his sketchbook, while the cockpit dial in front of him beeped to let him know it was ten minutes until dropping out of lightspeed and entering Cantonica’s atmosphere. </p><p>Behind him, the cockpit door slid open. When he didn’t hear anything, he turned in the seat and saw Ariake framed in the doorway. </p><p>“Not quite a full suit of beskar, but…” she did a modest shrug. The Child’s ears pricked up, eyes widening.</p><p>Ariake was dressed in a full length gown, the dusty pink color perfectly setting off her warm pale complexion. It was long-sleeved, and had a plunging neckline that showed off both Lando’s gold bar necklace and her own figure, surprisingly voluptuous outside of the loose black work shirt from the day before. Her brown wavy hair was pulled halfway back from her face with a gold hair pin; shimmer dusted across cheekbones and down her long nose, lips painted a striking deep red.  </p><p>From the landing light glowing behind her, Din also noticed the gown had a slit halfway up the right calf, with sturdy polished dark brown boots coming up to the knee. </p><p>Not for the first time this trip, Din was incredibly thankful his expression was hidden. <em> She looks…extraordinary. Beautiful and imperious like the ancient Mandalorian queen from my final-year History textbook… </em></p><p>She clicked a boot heel on the Razor Crest’s floor and winked at the Child, and Din felt a shiver run up and down his spine. </p><p><em> You’re a professional, Mando, you cannot say any of that out loud. But she’s looking at you; you’ve got to say something. </em>A twinge of doubt entered her expression.</p><p>“You look…”</p><p>“I know, it’s a lot,” she interrupted, rolling her eyes with embarrassment, “This is my arrival outfit for when I travel with Lando to Courescant - clearly he likes to make a big impression. If we’re invited to any kind of official dinner at the hotel, I’ll be changing again. Royal blue this time”. She swished her hips back and forth slightly, the dress twisting at her ankles.</p><p>“No, I...it looks nice,” he finished lamely. “Probably exactly what Bontrae’s people would expect you to wear.”</p><p>She nodded thanks, shyly smiling. “It  doesn’t suggest we’re here for some stealth intelligence work, at least. Although if you find capes stealthy...” She raised her eyebrows playfully as reached behind her and held up a matching dusty pink cape. </p><p>“You can hide weapons behind a cape. It might be better than a helmet for stealth,” Din allowed. <em> Although helmets keep you from seeing my mouth is still hanging open a little. </em>He straightened up, mentally shaking off the spell.</p><p>She smirked. “I put your odds of throwing me out the airlock at maybe 15% now, so I can probably admit I only have one weapon to defend myself.” She pulled a small stun blaster out of the cape’s interior pocket. “I don’t know if Lando mentioned, but I’ve never shot to kill. I don’t want to change that.” Her face hardened into defiance, like she was expecting him to laugh at this. </p><p>“Leave the shooting to me. We’re just about there.” Din slowly turned back to the controls. Ariake stepped to the copilot’s seat moved the Child onto her lap, smoothing out her cape as she sat. He pulled back the throttle, and they lurched out of hyperspace. The planet of Cantonica suddenly loomed ahead of them; a blurry orange globe with the mottled surface indicating near-constant dust storms.</p><p>“You can see how arid it all is from here,” Ariake said, holding The Child up so he could get a better view. </p><p>“Classic Outer Rim logic- pick the bleakest rock and try to strike it rich.” Din muttered, guiding the Razor Crest into the atmosphere above Canto Bight.</p><p>----</p><p>The city of Canto Bight’s reputation as a pristine temple to worship vice was well-deserved. The mountain valley where the city was located protected it from the harshest elements of the desert climate, while the mountains themselves provided the warm orange sandstone used to build every alleyway and luxury rowhouse surrounding the marble palace of the Grand Casino.  Despite being only one casino of many on the planet, the Grand Casino was the original, and by far Canto Bight’s most-renowned attraction. It was filled with the type of high-society socialites and war profiteers who would never refer to their all-consuming habit with the same word a Rodian spice dealer calls a backroom sabacc game. ‘Gambling’ was for scum; the Grand Casino was for ‘a little flutter’ or two. A flutter on anything, or anyone, who offered a chance of quick profits and quicker losses. </p><p>Of course, the Razor Crest wouldn’t be landing anywhere near the flutters of the Grand Casino or its see-and-be-seen main spaceport.</p><p>After paging out repeatedly and getting no answer from the auxiliary spaceport’s Docking Bay 8, Din glanced over at Ariake and the The Child, both leaning their heads over the right side to look down at the cityspace passing beneath, and the open desert spanning out in all directions outside the city limits.</p><p>He shrugged. “Just going to land.”</p><p>The Razor Crest pulled up and began a shuddering descent that even Din couldn’t deny was not the sign of a ship in perfect working order.</p><p>Below them, to the right of the tarmac, was one parked airspeeder, painted a striking deep purple. There was nothing else in sight.</p><p>“I have a bad feeling about this.” Ariake was looking straight ahead, her eyes dimmed.</p><p>“Yeah...get what we came for, then get off this rock,” He said, quietly but forcefully. She nodded, unconsciously pulling Lando’s gold necklace back and forth.</p><p>----</p><p>Din stood at the base of the gangway. He’d gone down ahead of Ariake and The Child to ensure the area was secure (and Ariake’s luggage unloaded). Descending the gangway, Ariake’s face was serene, her posture straight and chin jutted forward. The Child now sat in a bag on her hip, cape pulled back so he could see.<em> Too bad she doesn’t get the grand entrance Lando had in mind with the emissary costume- just me and this droid. </em></p><p>The apparent chauffeur to The Jewel was a protocol droid called B6M2. Like all of his kind, he was deferential, chatty, and Din didn’t trust anything about him. The bounty hunter was about to step in to fly the airspeeder himself when Ariake put a hand on his right forearm. Her expression had a note of wariness. He nodded once, acknowledging  it was too early to start making trouble.</p><p>“Right this way, sir and madam,” prattled B6M2, waving its hand toward the passenger seats of the airspeeder. “Please make yourself comfortable on our seventeen minute journey to Canto Bight’s most glittering gem, The Jewel casino and resort.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Ariake responded as she sat down, in a colder tone than Din had ever heard from her. “Will Mr. Bontrae be waiting to receive us at the hotel?”</p><p>“I’m afraid Leith Bontrae is expected to be off-world for the duration of your visit, but he is aware and wants you to have only the finest experience.” the droid responded, powering up the airspeeders engines and beginning liftoff. </p><p>Din glanced over at Ariake, who shot him a look back. Despite knowing her for only a few days, he could clearly read the concern passing over her face. </p><p>
  <em> If he knows about this visit, but isn’t here, it’s either a pointed message toward an emissary of one of his most important Republic co-investors, or it’s a ploy to see what we do when we think we’re ‘safe’ in his absence. </em>
</p><p>Both guests failing to pay attention to the droid had not discouraged its monologue in the least bit. “Constructed 3 years ago, after the fall of the Empire, The Jewel was inspired by and dedicated to the resilience of the Republic and its people. The main casino was designed by acclaimed Nabooian architect Lisl Wendana…”</p><p>Din let his attention wander, looking out the window as the airspeeder veered away from the highway to the main city and began to climb up one side of the valley. This area had been wooded mountainside when he was here a few years earlier- now the cliff edge had been entirely cleared, and up ahead, a hard-edged black structure was catching the sun and refracting lashes of light across the raw desert landscape. Its sleek exterior was faceted like an enormous diamond, each edge outlined in a shining chrome. </p><p>“...and there it is! What a sight to be seen…” B6M2 continued on implacably. </p><p><em> It couldn’t look less like the Grand Casino </em> , Din thought, glancing down at The Child, standing up in the bag and peaking behind Ariake’s cape. The Child looked up at him with wonder in his eyes. <em> It’s impressive, kid, but places like this never make someone happy for long, unless you’re the one who owns it.  </em></p><p>The Airspeeder smoothly steered around the side of the structure, which revealed that behind the imposing singular frontage, there was a black cube of a build matching the material of the casino, with balconies encircling each floor. The hotel Lando mentioned. </p><p>B6M2 guided the casino airspeeder into one of the few available spaces in the large speeder reception area between the casino and hotel. Species from across the galaxy were wheeling out suitcases, packing their luxury speeders, or waiting for taxis. Two uniformed employees, dressed in the same deep purple as the airspeeder, were attempting to manage the rowdy taxi line, full of what looked like male Tegrudans on a bachelor party. </p><p>Din raised his eyebrows. <em> Seems busy enough, maybe the high profits check out... </em></p><p>The droid opened the airspeeder doors and waited for its passengers to disembark before it followed suit. It picked up Ariake’s bags and turned toward the door. </p><p>“If you’ll follow me…”. </p><p>They wove through the crowds and through The Jewel’s front entrance. Stepping through the front doors, Din realized the exterior of The Jewel was far from the most impressive thing about the complex. </p><p>Inside was a hanger-sized octagonal atrium, dramatically lit in deep purples and blues along the internal edges of the soaring faceted ceiling. Looking across the space, he realized they had entered on a mezzanine floor; like a balcony edge full of concierge desks buzzing with visitors, at least two packed cafes, a row of Courescanti couture designer shops, and more. The group almost as one approached the mezzanine’s edge and looked down to see casino floor below. From this distance, it was a whirling mess of  lights, jangling slot machines, and the cacophony of cheers, groans, and curses in nearly every language known in the galaxy.</p><p>“If you’ll look up…,” B6M2 suggested.</p><p>Hovering above both floors was a floating circular bar, made entirely of faceted chrome. Din counted three bartenders seamlessly weaving around each other in the center, serving drinks. To Ariake’s left, two female Twi’lek waiting for bar seating were being scooped up in the surprisingly strong arms of BD-3000 luxury droids, humanlike in their shape. In unison, the droids bent their knees and jumped, revealing the propulsion engines on the bottom of their feet as they glided up to the floating bar.</p><p>Taking it all in, Din realized there was another way The Jewel was different from the Grand Casino; these guests weren’t bored society matrons, dressed in staid finery and looking for a quick, mostly-polite thrill. The Jewel’s energy was young, hard, desperate to indulge in the wild times that years of galactic war had taken from them. </p><p>“If you’re ready, the concierge will see you now.” B6M2 gestured toward an open desk, where another BD-3000 droid was waiting for them, serving as concierge. Din watched Ariake straighten up and rearrange her face into the haughty expression she wore when Calrissian introduced them, before she led the way over to the desk.</p><p>
  <em> The gown’s one kind of armor, but it’s not the only one she has.  </em>
</p><p>“Ms. Taisha?” The BD-3000 said in a honeyed voice. “Welcome to The Jewel. We are thrilled to be visited by an representative of CalCorp. And this is your security?” it extended a hand toward Din.</p><p>“Yes. I also have my pet here; I don’t travel without either and I hope it will not be an inconvenience.” Ariake spoke in a voice that clearly communicated it was not. </p><p>“No inconvenience at all. You were reserved two adjoining rooms in our hotel’s midlevels…” the droid dropped its head, scanning the screen tucked behind the desk. “Ah! I have the most pleasant task of informing you that you have been upgraded!”</p><p>“Upgraded?” Ariake’s voice betrayed a note of surprise. “I’m afraid the CalCorp account does not extend to improving reservations.”</p><p>“Oh no, Ms. Taisha. This is a complimentary upgrade to one of our executive suites. These accommodations feature a full spa bathroom, two bedrooms, living space, and a balcony with a valley-facing view; all the better to enjoy the fireworks!” </p><p>The droid sounded thrilled at its own description. “This was done at Leith Bontrae’s personal request; he wishes you to have the best experience possible here in his beautiful Jewel.”</p><p>Ariake’s brow furrowed slightly for a moment, before seamlessly returning to placid haughtiness. “Well, I am flattered by Mr. Bontrae’s personal consideration. I’d like to take my things to the room now, to refresh from the long journey.”</p><p>As she turned, she glanced up at Din, her eyes showing a glimmer of doubt. He knew she couldn’t see his face (even though at moments like these, when she looked right into his eyes, it was hard to remember that), but he tried return an expression of calm. He wasn’t sure what this meant, either, and it reminded him despite all the debauchery around them, they had to stay focused. He had to stay focused. </p><p>“I will escort you, Ms. Taisha,” B6M2 offered.</p><p>“That’s not necessary,” Din cut in.</p><p>“Oh, but it’s my pleasure and programming to do so! I will show you the fastest way to enter the hotel from the casino, without having to navigate the unbridled chaos of the speederport”. The droid shuddered, and clanked forward, to an unnoticed edge at the end of the concierge desk. There was a line of elevators, dropping patrons down to the casino floor.</p><p>Reaching the casino floor, it was clear to Din that if anything, he’d underestimated exactly how wild the clientele were. More shops, more restaurants, sabacc, slot machines, dice games, chance games, vid screens for betting on every sport in the galaxy from podracing to dug boxing. And at every table, species of all shapes in Courescanti couture, spice tins in their pockets, fighting for a piece of the action. </p><p>As they flowed in the tide of newly-arrived hotel guests going to their rooms, Ariake reached over and touched Din’s hand. He fought a mad urge to grab it - <em> mission objectives, Djarin! </em> - and looked into her face instead. She delicately tilted her head up and to the right, turning her gaze in the same direction. Din and the The Child followed her gaze to see a relatively-subtle door built into the wall at the end of a line of slot machines. Stenciled in chrome on the outside was ‘Administration”. He remembered what Calrissian said on the call earlier; that’s where the servers will be. </p><p>They followed the hotel crowd around the edge of the casino to a carpeted tunnel, the deep purple lighting matching the atrium above. This tunnel led under the speederport and brought the group to another elevator bank. B6M2 gestured Din and Ariake to turn left, away from the regular crowd, and down a corridor where there was a single, all-black elevator. He called it, and when they entered, punched the top floor.</p><p>“Your rooms are at the end of the hall,” B6M2 said as the doors opened, but he still continued leading them there. </p><p>“Per your employer’s request, Ms. Taisha, we have disabled the facial scanning lock and are issuing you traditional scan-cards instead.”</p><p>
  <em> Every now and then, even smugglers plan ahead - thanks, Calrissian.  </em>
</p><p>“Thank you, B6M2. We should be well at-hand now, if you’d like to return to your post.” Ariake’s voice was not unkind, but Din wondered if even a droid could miss the firm dismissal in it. </p><p>Din scanned a card and opened the door. They grabbed the luggage and both stepped through.</p><p>“Ah, of course. If you need anymore more, I remain only a call away. Do enjoy your trip, and may The Jewel’s luck glimmer on yo-”</p><p>Ariake shut the door before he could finish. </p><p>“Thought that would never end,” she sighed with a smile, the haughty-emissary bearing dropping at once. “This <em> is </em> my first executive suite, though, so maybe the explanations would have been helpful…”.</p><p>She suddenly paused, her eyes locking on the other side of the large living space they were in. There was a chrome double door, mirroring back their distorted reflections. Her face grew drawn. </p><p>Din drew his blaster and signaled her and The Child to stay still. He approached the door, nudging it open.</p><p>It was the full spa bathroom. Din quickly took in two tubs, shower, and a Kaminoan rain-wood steam closet, before he spotted their intruder. </p><p>In the corner, a small, stooped woman was polishing a sink. She was wearing a variation of the deep purple staff uniform he’d seen earlier, hers including an apron with multiple pockets. She looked up to see Din with blaster out. </p><p>“Oh, my, you’re here already!” Her eyes were on the blaster, but her face had something else in it besides startled fear. Relief. </p><p>Din slowly holstered the weapon.</p><p>Her hands shook as she put down the rag. “A Mandalorian, too...let me show you how all the taps work.” </p><p>Din barely had time to parse that non-sequitur when the woman methodically made her way around the room, turning each tap on full blast.</p><p>Ariake had put The Child down and was now standing in the doorway behind him.</p><p>When the sound of water was deafening off the tile surfaces, the woman turned back to Din. She dug in one of her pockets, and all at once, grabbed his right hand in both of hers.</p><p>The woman began speaking in a clear, sharp language, squeezing his hand for emphasis. Her stare was desperate but not fearful- there was trust in her eyes.</p><p>The whole experience lasted maybe seven bewildering seconds, when she suddenly released his hands, looked down, grabbed her bucket, and ducked past Ariake as she scurried out the door.</p><p>Din turned as she left, catching Ariake’s horrified expression.</p><p>“What was all that?” he managed.</p><p>“You...didn’t understand her?” </p><p>“No.”</p><p>Her face shifted into disbelief. “Din, that’s Mando’a. The native language of Mandalore.” As if she could see his mystified expression, she hurried on. “I’m not close to fluent, but I got enough of it.”</p><p>“What did she say?” </p><p>Ariake’s face clouded. “ ‘The room is listening to you’...bugged, I guess. And then, ‘please find her. Find my daughter.’ ”</p><p>Din suddenly became dimly aware that there was something in his clenched right hand. He opened it slowly to find a single scrap of paper with cramped writing on one side:</p><p>‘Noriah D’alo. Employee #R483. 2 months <span class="u">missing.</span>’</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ok, this one got long, but I couldn't resist keeping it going until the mini-mystery-moment (there's probably an actual narrative term for that, but I'm too lazy to dig out my English textbooks). </p><p>If anyone thinks The Jewel sounds a little bit like the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas...yeah, that's fair. Deep purple is a great color for a casino interior!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Conversations, fights, and a thrilling bit of data downloads</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>‘Noriah D’alo. Employee #R483. 2 months MISSING’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din looked up from the crumped scrap of paper with these words on it, meeting Ariake’s stunned face. She opened her mouth, and Din held up a hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t leave the water on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?...Oh, yeah. I actually have a solution for that.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just for that one small ‘the room is bugged’ issue, though, not a solution for what was just read out to me,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she dazedly thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned and walked over to her abandoned storage cube by the closed hotel room door, full of outfits and fineries essential to any travelling CalCorp emissary. After a few seconds, she dug out a palm-sized metal object, flat on one side and pointed on the other, with etched white lines around the base. She set the flat side down on the entryway table, turning the point so the white lines shifted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a sudden flattening feel in her eardrums, as if someone grabbed either side of her head and pushed her noise dampening headphones against her ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned back to Din, who had turned off all the taps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Audible cloaking device, and it looks like it still works! It’s been a while, but when Lando was running Cloud City, you never knew who could be trying to listen in…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that will...wait, Ariake, look, turn it off. Now!” Din had pivoted to face The Child, who had previously been leaning against the couch cushions. It now had its tiny face contorted, eyes squeezed shut, silent but radiating pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, darling!” She immediately cranked the dial back, watching The Child unclench until he looked shellshocked, but no longer suffering. Ariake rushed over to the couch and kneeled down so she and the Child were at eye-level. She held out a comforting hand, and he leaned into it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize your ears were sensitive enough to pick up the interference signal!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child still looked drained, but it didn’t seem upset. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, we’ll keep it down at 10%, where it doesn’t look like it bothers you,” She looked over her shoulder at Din, standing a few feet behind, also having run over to The Child. “This means it can’t fully block the bugs, but it will garble the inputs enough that it should make it too hard to hear what we’re saying.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Should’ being the key word.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She sighed, five minutes of chaotic tension starting to drain from her limbs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. So…” Din stepped over to a chair next to the couch, and Ariake sat down next to The Child. He made a vague gesture around the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what in the galaxy did we just become a part of?!” Ariake blurted out. Din tilted his head slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing. We became a part of nothing.” he said in a controlled tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing on that piece of paper changes why we’re here. We’re here to get the books from the servers, that’s it. We’re not getting paid to solve the mystery of a missing casino employee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Really, that’s it? That’s his whole reaction to this?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if they’re connected?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The books and the missing employee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Ariake could hear how ridiculous that sounded, but she pushed forward. “The bad feeling I had when we were flying over the town, it all makes more sense now. Money laundering is one thing, but disappearances?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One disappearance.” Din leaned toward Ariake, his arms crossed and leaning on his knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That we know of. Going to the servers to download the books...it’s very likely internal employee records would be kept in the same place…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din’s sigh was audible even without the helmet’s microphone. “So you’re assuming the disappearance was caused by The Jewel, and they wrote it down?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not exactly,” Ariake countered, standing up and shifting from foot to foot with nervous energy. “There records would likely have a list of employee names, with start dates, roles held, last payrolls...we could look up Noriah D’alo and see when she was last officially working! At the least, we could see if it corroborates her mother’s story about 2 months missing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you’re allowed to take those files?” There was a gentle challenge in Din’s tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake stopped shifting and looked up, lips pursed. She squeezed her eyes shut. “...No. Per New Republic law, as coinvestors, we’re entitled to the financials: any money going into or out of the The Jewel, we can ask for records and get them direct from the source, if needed. But employee records…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...don’t count,” Din finished. “This isn’t the time to solve someone else’s problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her eyes, gazing out the window behind Din’s chair that looked out on the afternoon sun shining on the valley of Canto Bight below. Slowly, she nodded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right. Getting the books could be hard enough. We’ve got to stay focused.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It doesn’t help that trying to solve someone else’s problem was exactly what got the entire Guild after Din, so he really isn’t one to talk. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She couldn’t shake the sense that she was missing something important, something key to the pattern in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Ariake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The gentleness with which he said her name made her look down. She was only standing a few feet from where he sat, and he was still leaning forward on his knees, looking up at her. The sun from the window behind him was casting a dull orange gleam across his armor. She could feel his eyes meeting hers and softening, even if she couldn’t see them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake reached out with her mind, like she had done when meeting him back on Phaeda. She was hit with a sudden, strong impulse to hold out her hand. He would take it, bringing it to the side of his face. She’d slide each finger under the side of his helmet and ever so slowly, lift it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Wow, Ari, it really has been a while. Fantasizing about the violating the creed of a Mandalorian fanatic now? Because the first person he’d want to show his face to in 20 years would definitely be a strange little number-cruncher that, don’t forget, he’s getting </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>paid</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> to help.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Din leaned back. “So what do we do next, boss?” he said dryly, interrupting her harsh inner monologue. “I vote the Administration office: get in there, download the data, and decide how much longer we want to hang around.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or, we have a conversation or two first.” Ariake countered. Din cleared his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what it sounds like, but this isn’t about this Noriah D’alo person,” she rushed on. “I want to get this over with as much as you do, but...much as it pains me as an accountant to say this, numbers never tell the whole story. We need some context from the people who work here. Have they seen more visitors than usual? Any high-rollers making weekly visits now? Things like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who do you have in mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No droids - I can’t trust them for this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...agreed.” Din’s right hand went unconsciously near his blaster holster.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake glanced over at the two bedroom doors on the wall opposite the couch. With everything that went on in the past 5 minutes, she hadn’t stopped to really notice the decor. The deep purple and chrome theme from The Jewel’s casino atrium was in full effect; the plush violet carpeting, the chrome doors, the sculpted black light fixtures casting an ominous glow. The effect may have spelled wild abandon downstairs, but in a penthouse hotel suite, the gleaming, hard-edged decor was almost menacing. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I wonder if Din can tell where the bugs are hidden.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She removed her cape and pulled out her lipstick from the pocket. “That chrome floating bar...those were sentients as bartenders, right? That’s a place to start.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din nodded in assent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced at the couch. “Do you think it’s safe to leave The Child here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We shouldn’t take long. More likely he’ll be the one causing trouble...”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why doesn’t that surprise me at all,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ariake thought, remembering the violent blur of images he put in her mind when they first met on the Razor Crest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll make it fast,” Ariake declared, turning toward the door. “Talk to a few people, I’ll get the data, come back up here and make sure he hasn’t trashed the room while we’re gone. Does that work, kid?” She shouted over her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child lifted his head and cooed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a plan,” she laughed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chrome bar hovering above the The Jewel’s atrium was only getting more crowded as the sun started to touch the tops of the mountains surrounding Canto Bight. Still, despite a mostly-full bar, there were still two open seats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake led the way toward the area labelled ‘bar valet’, hoping these BD-3000 droids had some experience transporting patrons in fluttering gowns. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two valets immediately approached the pair. Having seen the technique from the Twi’leks flown up earlier, Ariake smiled and let the luxury droid bend down and pick her up. She put a steadying arm around the droid’s neck and shot a sheepish grin at Din. He was still standing in front of his droid, sounding far less entertained than Ariake was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We would be happy to provide you with this valet service, sir,” the droid intoned soothingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would be happier if you didn’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake raised an eyebrow. “How else are you going to get up there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din looked over at her and, seeing her already in position, tilted his head sardonically. “I’ve got something on the ship, if you give me a few minutes…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake rolled her eyes and grinned. “Come on! The whole trip takes maybe 15 seconds, and I promise no one will recognize you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din give a sarcastic laugh, which pleased Ariake more than she expected.</span>
  <em>
    <span> At least he isn’t so serious about his creed he can’t handle some teasing...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>After they were seated (and warned by the droids not to lean too far to either side in their floating chairs, as “The Jewel regrettably cannot ensure your continued physical intactness should chair misuse occur”), it was only a few minutes until a somewhat-harried looking young blonde human man came over to take their order.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake smiled slowly and leaned forward, knowing the gold bar necklace would be catching the light and drawing attention downward. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If flirting is what gets this guy to pause for a moment to talk to me, so be it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, I’d like a cocktail - light on the pours, please, I don’t want to get too relaxed a good 50 meters in the air,” she giggled slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, I can take care of that,” he smirked, suggesting Ariake had taken the right approach. “And for you?” In a far more business-like tone, turning toward Din. The bounty hunter shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a moment, then.” The bartender turned away and moved to another spot along the inner circle to make the drink. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing? I can ask if they have a very long straw...” she said under her breath, winking. Din nudged her in the ribs, causing her to grip the bar edge and squeak as the chair swayed slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not fair!” she gasped, laughing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what’s your strategy here?” he responded, with a slight edge in his tone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake made a small shrug. “Try to charm him - these emissary gowns make it surprisingly easy. I’m always looking for ways to save CalCorp some money,” she  smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What an exemplary employee you are,” he murmured, glancing down at her chest. The bartender returned with a glass filled with electric pink liquid, lightly bubbling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here you are, one of my hometown specialties, remade with a sprinkle of Canto Bight magic: Dantoo Town Punch,” he said with a flourish, setting the glass in front of Ariake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat up straight, her brown eyes flashing. “Dantoo Town? Are you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dantooine born and bred,” the bartender smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too! I mean, I didn’t move there until I was ten, but my father’s family have lived there for generations. Where are you from on-world?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender looked thrilled. “Dantoo Town proper! The closest thing that overgrown jungle swamp of a planet has to a real city; I miss it every day,” he rolled his eyes good-naturedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, we’ve got a cosmopolitan here!” Ariake teased. “I lived out by the shores of the Inland Sea - the nearest down was called Mar Asha.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never heard of it,” the bartender shrugged, “but you know how things are in the capital city; if you have to take The Hopper to get there, it’s too far. Jarvis Dieter, by the way.” he held out a hand. “I’ve been here over three months and you’re the first person I’ve met who’s even been to Dantooine, much less lived there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake Taisha,” she responded, sensing Din’s alertness with the mention of her real name. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s a bartender and Bontrae’s people know we’re here; what’s the harm in being honest?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She continued, “I guess having only been here three months, you couldn’t say if it’s felt busier than usual in The Jewel recently. I was just saying to my bodyguard,” she gestured to Din, “that it felt like now that the war has been over for more than five years, maybe places like The Jewel will get more popular than ever before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can’t say I’ve noticed. But really, I think I’m still in shock that I got the job in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s that good?” Din cut in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Jarvis was surprised the helmeted man spoke, he didn’t show it. “Yeah! I mean, I’ve always wanted to travel offworld, and every other recruiter that passed through Dantoo Town was from mines or shipbuilding factories - no thanks. But when the newest casino in town offers to pay for my move to Canto Bight, puts me up for free in staff housing, and lets me keep my tips? I couldn’t ask for more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” Din said noncommittally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, that’s not even the best part.” Jarvis leaned in and dropped his voice. “Between us, you know, one Dantooinian to another…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake leaned in with a conspiratorial smile. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If this is some hometown gossip about the regional governor doing spice off a pleasure droid in the hotel…</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Two words: house credit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake pulled her head back, looking quizzical.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, right?” Jarvis enthused, misinterpreting her confusion. “We get a thousand credits per month to play with at The Jewel; any game, at any table we want. Yeah, it’s technically not allowed by Canto Bight law, but Management says it’s just good business to fill the floor with the kind of young, wantonly wild types they want to attract as guests.” He winked.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, maybe I laid it on too thick before</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Din turned a snigger into a cough. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what happens if you lose it all?” she asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jarvis shrugged. “Try again next month when your account resets with another thousand. There is a catch, though - you can’t cash out until you double your winnings. Get to two thousand, they’ll give you the credits! Two thousand, in hand...you could buy your own land with that! Or get passage to Courescant and leave the Outer Rim behind for good.” His eyes lost focus imagining it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Know anyone who’s done it? Cashed out?” Din interjected. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, look who’s interested now.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jarvis shook his head. “No one personally, just a few legends. Most recent was a cleaner, if you can believe that. Nadia, Noriza, something like that…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noriah?” Ariake blurted out. She felt Din’s foot on hers, stepping down lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! Noriah was her name. She took the money and went offworld, lying on a beach somewhere, from what I heard. But hey, just goes to show anyone can get lucky at The Jewel, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heh, right.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And we’re done here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Well, thanks for giving us a behind-the-scenes look, Jarvis; here’s hoping that Jewel luck shines on you next.” She downed her Dantoo Town Punch and held up a hand to the valet droids, currently dropping off another couple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, wait, I mean...I get off in a few hours, maybe I can take you on a little tour of this town myself?” Jarvis sputtered, trying to regain his conversational footing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We‘ll be busy. Room number’s P2, for the bill.” Din said, tapping his knuckles against the bar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender nodded once, his stunned expression showing he knew the penthouse designations by heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>____</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Freshly back on the atrium floor, Ariake was brushing the wrinkles out of her gown. Din touched her shoulder and nodded over at one of the busy cafes to the right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need to talk. Somewhere it’s hard to overhear.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They managed to grab a corner table from a departing group of giggling green-skinned Mirialans. Ariake sat down, braced for a telling-off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din wasted no time. “That was dangerous, Ariake. You don’t know if anything the bartender said was true…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is.” Ariake cut in. “I can feel it - and why would he have a reason to lie to us? It doesn’t make the casino look good to tell us about the house credit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or he brought it up to see what we knew.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe...but we didn’t know anything, other than guessing a first name. So he’s got nothing for his boss, if that was his angle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din was silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake continued, “And we learned something big - why aren’t there any big winners who still work at the casino? Two thousand credits isn’t enough to retire on, and if you could bank it and then take another shot at making more when the house credit resets next month...why wouldn’t you? And no one knows where they went, just that it was ‘off-world’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din tilted his head. “You think Bontrae is disappearing the winners? Just to avoid paying out two thousand credits?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. But if it’s completely unconnected to the sudden record profits here…that’s a coincidence the size of Star Destroyer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din shrugged his shoulders. “Scum businessman does scum business. Doesn’t seem very coincidental to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake absently played with her necklace. “Maybe. There’s something missing, some connection in the data I can’t see yet…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din leaned back in the chair, waving an approaching waiter away. “Do you need to talk to anyone else? Or can we just get the books and finish this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyebrows rose at his abrupt tone shift. “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din turned his head to look her square-on. “When Calrissian said you were persuasive, I don’t know what I was expecting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed. “Flirting was your whole plan to get a backwater kid to talk? The Mandalorians conquered the galaxy for thousands of years…it’s beneath you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, he doesn’t approve.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ariake’s rising anger sharpened her mind, as the noise in the cafe dimmed. There was no Jedi training to stop the rush this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Find the cool heart at the center of this wrath, bind with it, and fire.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>In a tight, quiet tone, “It would have been more Mandalorian for me to reach across the bar, grab Jarvis by the neck, and throttle him to tell me what I wanted?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or have paid him for it - this was just common deception.” Din’s voice betrayed a note of uncertainty. Ariake ignored it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think the Way of the Mandalorian is all honor and glory, dramatic battles and noble self-sacrifice. Have you ever been to Mandalore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din almost imperceptibly shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a barren rock, leveled by generation after generation of civil war, clan war, invasions by outsiders…” she counted off on her right hand, feeling her left clenching beneath the table. “So how well did your Way serve our people in the end? We’re scattered, lost, enslaved. Some even end up as cleaners in a seedy Canto Bight casino.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She noticed the table start to vibrate. Her emotions were almost beyond her control. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too far, Ari; deep breath.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She paused, taking a harsh inhale. She held up her left hand to keep Din from speaking, never mind the fingernail indentations in her palm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The only Way I can live by is the way of the Outer Rim: take care of your people, be honest when you can, but above all, survive. Just survive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din was still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s how I’ve made it this far - the rise of the Empire, fleeing to Dantooine, working for Lando, even my time in the Rebellion. You think I smile and push my chest out because I don’t know any other way, or I want the approval? I know in your eyes I’m a short-legged, long-nosed, awkward little desk worker, but there’s one thing you need to understand. My job is to find patterns, and I’m very, very good at it. If charming someone is the fastest, least-harmful way to get me the information I want, I’m going to use it. Mandalorians would call that ‘finding your tactical advantage’. I won’t be shamed by a bounty hunter for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake went silent, feeling the dregs of her anger dissipate. She dimly wondered what Din could be thinking behind the helmet. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe he’s just insulted I dared to compare my weak Mandalorian credentials to his…’bloodline doesn’t matter’ and all that. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat forward, elbows on the table. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have judged how you do your job. It’s unprofessional; I won’t do it again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved to stand up. “And what you said...I don’t think any of that about you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake weakly smiled despite herself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How is this man so uniquely infuriating, but for some reason, I still want to be near him? Must be The Child making him tolerable in my mind... </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not even what I said about being good at my job? Fair enough, the evidence has been spotty so far,” she joked. Din chuckled, shaking his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go to Administration, get this done,” she declared.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake put a few credits on the table as an apology to the waiter for not ordering. As she strode through the atrium to the elevator, she could sense Din next to her, looking forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you know that language the cleaner spoke?” Ariake could hear his attempt to sound nonchalant.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe that judgement of un-Mandalorian behavior is coming from a deeper place than I thought. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She tried to match his tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mando’a? My mother taught me some; she grew up speaking it since her parents both worked in Duchess Satine’s court and didn’t leave for Courescant until she was 18 or so. I didn’t get into Mando’a as much as Marcus did, though. A lot of Mandalorians don’t speak it now…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>So you shouldn’t feel bad.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marcus?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Damn it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brother. Elevator’s here.”  Ariake was sure Din heard the sharpness in her response as they pushed in with a swarm of other casino-bound guests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just you?” Din jerked his head toward the Administration door. A trio of Rodians pushed between them on their way to high-credit slot machines at the end of the row. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For the first visit, yes. I don’t want it to look like I’m there to take the information by force.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If they say no?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then we’ll come back later and try to get it another way. But let me try it my way first…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Din thought to protest, the last few minutes probably discouraged him. “Leave the door open if you can.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake nodded with a tight-lipped smile, then turned and hit the door panel for the Administration office, careful not to hit the button again on the other side. Inside was a long empty waiting room with a long reception desk at the other end. The air had the sort of light chemical perfume of a regional ship registration office, with the third-hand decor to match. There was nothing of the sleek black edges and pounding nightclub music that was omnipresent in the casino: this part of The Jewel was clearly not for guests. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tired-eyed blue Mythrol got up from behind the desk. “Got an appointment, ma’am?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake drew herself up, ready to play the imperious emissary again. “I do not. But I am not aware that I need one, as I’ve come on behalf of Lando Calrissian to collect the financial records of this coventure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh. He check his messages first? We sent the books out weeks ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but he’s requested I retrieve them directly from the servers. We take data integrity very seriously, as any number of alterations may have occurred in transit between Cantonica and our headquarters on Phaeda.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped to the right, angling herself toward the door behind the desk. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Come on, just let me back there.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...that’s a new one for me, I’m gonna need to run this by my supervisor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No. The bugged hotel room is enough of a tip off management doesn’t trust us.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried a playful smile. “Surely that’s not necessary, and you can show me to the servers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No...no, I think it’s procedure.” The Mythrol was looking down, cross-checking something on a pad in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake glanced behind her, out the still half-open door. Din was leaning against an empty game table, making a decent show of being casual. He inclined his head at her, as if to ask if she wanted him to come in. She gave a reassuring smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>OK, Ari, you’ve already tapped into the emotional, out-of-control Force today, let’s try the one actually-useful trick it gives you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned back toward the desk and subtly brought up her right hand, fingers angled like she was about to brush a loose piece of hair behind her ear. Instead she paused, poised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cleared her throat, and the Mythrol looked up. She drew her face into a blank mask, looking into the Mythrol’s eyes. “You don’t need to check with your manager.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...what…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The connection was slipping. Ariake felt her face grow hot with embarrassment, but she persisted. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Look deeper, see this being’s doubt, his fear of making a mistake. Hold this; lift it out, gently. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will take me to the server room,” she murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Mythrol’s eyes grew unfocused, his face a neutralized calm. “I will…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Leave only a gentle blur, like fresh snow drifting across a wide plain.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will...take you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She followed him through the door behind the desk, down two sets of stairs past a row of offices, and through an industrial double-door. It opened onto a subterranean square room, computers built into every wall from floor to ceiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just like home.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> Ariake took out the datastick from her pocket and stepped toward the nearest terminal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Facial Scan Required’ flashed on the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake turned behind her, where the Mythrol waited by the door. “Stand here, please”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blankly, he submitted. The terminal scanned his face, and Ariake was into the system.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t take more than a minute or two to find the accounts from the past year. She kept her mind flitting back and forth between the task and the Mythrol, as she couldn’t be sure what he would do if the effect wore off and she was still down here.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Download complete...but if I’m here already…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a voice in Ariake’s head telling her not to do it; to take the datastick now, walk upstairs, meet Din, grab The Child, and fly off this rock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it wasn’t enough. Ariake typed in ‘Employee Records’. The files from the past year started scrolling across the screen. She took a breath, and before she could think twice, downloaded them onto the datastick, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Done. Ariake ejected the datastick, nodded to the Mythrol, and together they walked back up the stairs, through the door, and into Administration. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to face him. “Thank you - you’ll remember none of this. You’ll be all right, in fact you’ll feel euphoric, but you’ll have no idea why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-ok.” he murmured. He sat back down at the desk, exactly in the position he was in when she came in a few minutes earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned out the still-open door, to see Din was now standing directly outside it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you all right? Did you get them?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, patting her gown pocket. “Got ‘em.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Ariake didn’t know better, she thought the bounty hunter might have wanted to hug her. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's pretty normal to look at earlier chapters and want to do massive rewrites, right? But I'm sticking with a weekly-ish schedule, so maybe when it's all done, I'll do some tweaking...</p><p>I know The Child was mostly absent here; I miss him too.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Interlude: The Child</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The dead speak! ...for a moment, anyway.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being fifty years old didn’t seem to make the time pass any quicker.</p><p>The late afternoon sun was streaming through the living room window of penthouse P2 in Canto Bight’s Jewel Casino hotel. The rays glanced across the chrome picture frames on the black walls, throwing harsh glares on the wall-to-wall violet carpeting.</p><p>This carpet was causing The Child no end of annoyance. It was easy to call the toggle ball back from wherever he rolled it, of course, but with the carpet’s thickness, it just wouldn’t roll very far.</p><p>The incessant high whine in his ears wasn’t helping, either. The Child listlessly abandoned the ball, where it dropped in midair, bouncing against the black slate table.</p><p>Shutting his eyes, his turned his face up. Silence, stillness. A memory stirred in the darkness, a voice cutting in and out from a time when this parcel of land was still a silent forested mountainside, only a point of passing notice to one of the drunker guests at the old Grand Casino.</p><p>
  <em>Remember, younglings, feel what it is you seek...reach out with your mind, and take hold of it, you must....</em>
</p><p>The Child felt his spirit rise - this voice was full of warmth and safety. It was just one of the moments he tried to share with the lady, the Sensitive one. But she couldn’t understand and became afraid. He exhaled and furrowed his brow, raising both arms up.</p><p>
  <em>Do you see it? Not with eyes, with the Force.</em>
</p><p>He did. The whine was coming from multiple places in the penthouse, the locations glowing in his mind’s eye like a heat signature. The nearest was buried in the light fixture above the couch behind him.</p><p>He extended his reach toward it. Gently, slowly. The air grew still, dust suspended in place. He felt the edges of the whining thing, gripped, and took hold, pulling down. It resisted at first, but a sharp tug did the trick. Sparks flew from the fixture.</p><p>The thing fell to the ground. The Child opened his eyes and looked down at it. It was a tiny grey metal cube, maybe half the size of his ball. Frayed wires stuck out of one end, while the opposite side was studded with innumerable tiny holes. A microphone.</p><p>
  <em>Not finished yet, you are.</em>
</p><p>The Child couldn’t tell if this voice was still a memory or something more. Maybe someone was there with him now. This was not the first time he’d felt this way, but the effect was always strange. With the presence there, he felt more alone than ever, but somehow, he was no longer afraid.</p><p>He again stretched out his feeling to the far corners of the room, nudging open the bathroom door. The metal cubes were easy to find now: in the towel rack attached to the spa, behind both bedrooms’ picture frames, even tucked into a plant on the balcony. Grasp, pull, bring it back.</p><p>The whining sound dimmed to nothing as the pile on the carpet grew. The Child felt satisfied; this was far more fun than playing with the ball. And he had helped his Mandalorian and the lady! They didn’t have to turn on that horrible screeching thing to block the cubes again.</p><p>Job done, he toddled over to the nearest cube on the floor. It would fit perfectly in his hands. He bent down and as soon as his fingers made contact, he was struck with a flash of foreboding so strong he fell backwards.</p><p>
  <em>MALASTARE.</em>
</p><p>It was a different voice from before; rasping, angry. Getting up, The Child felt his stomach churn, but oddly, it wasn’t from fear. There was something coursing through him...a cold excitement.</p><p>He didn’t have more than a moment to consider this, though, as the penthouse door slid open.</p><p>“...working with statistics really takes the fun out of it - even if the game isn’t rigged, if you play long enough, you lose…”, the lady was saying. The tightness in her shoulders wasn’t there right now; she looked lighter, almost.</p><p>His Mandalorian was behind her. The Child felt the rush of happiness he got whenever his protector came into view.</p><p>“Even sabacc…” he ventured.</p><p>“Oh, if you want to learn sabacc on the trip home, just say the word. But I don’t want you coming after me for unpaid debts.” the lady said, looking behind him and grinning.</p><p>The Child couldn’t see his Mandalorian’s face any more than anyone else could, but he sensed the man smiling. The lady made him happy, although he breathed faster around her a lot, too. The Child was pleased by that.</p><p>“Hi, kid!” she exclaimed, walking toward him. She glanced slightly past where he was standing, at the pile of cubes he’d made for them. “What have you been up to?” Her eyebrows shot up.</p><p>“Breaking things,” his Mandalorian sighed, also looking at The Child’s work. “Ok, what are these; where did you pull them out from.”</p><p>The lady’s knelt down to pick a cube up, holding it up to his Mandalorian. “Bugs. The kid found them.”</p><p>“All of them?” he turned to The Child again. “How? Could you hear them, like you could with the cloaking device?”</p><p>The lady’s face clouded, like she was struggling with how to say something. “I think...he can feel where they are, and could...retrieve them. Is that right?” she said to the The Child.</p><p>He cooed, raising his ears. She understood him, he was right to trust her!</p><p>His Mandalorian, however, did not seem as pleased as The Child had hoped. “So it’s only a matter of time. When they realize they aren’t getting the audio feed, they’ll come up here. We need to go. Now.”</p><p>The Child looked between his two people. The lady stood as well, facing his Mandalorian. He sensed her anxiety, and the efforts she was taking to keep it out of her voice. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Bugging like this isn’t special, it’s just a matter of course- before CalCorp, Lando used to have a bug-sweeping droid scan a conference room before he’d be willing to start talking.”</p><p>His Mandalorian’s arms were folded, head tilted.</p><p>“Finding and removing the bugs is seen as pretty standard - they tried to find an advantage, we stopped them, no big deal.” She smiled hesitantly.</p><p>“When do you propose we go, then.” The voice behind the helmet was cold and wary, and the lady matched it with her own voice.</p><p>“First thing tomorrow. We go to dinner here tonight, be seen on the casino floor, show we’re appreciative of Bontrae’s hospitality. Then I can plead needing to get back to work, and no one will raise an eyebrow.”</p><p>There was only a nod and turning away in response, as he headed into one of the bedrooms. The lady sighed, looking troubled. She knelt down again next to The Child in the living room, and murmured, “Light fixture, right? Where were the others hidden?”</p><p>The Child turned and smiled at her. Holding out a hand, he imperceptibly shook the balcony door, the bathroom door, and both bedroom doorknobs in turn.</p><p>“Even the bedrooms!” She marveled. “They really were thorough. Thank you for doing this, kid. Maybe, someday when you’re not so busy, you could teach me a few of these tricks?” She had a teasing smile, but the Child felt a shy eagerness underneath.</p><p>He smiled, reaching his hand out to hers. He should tell her what he heard earlier. She would know what to do. The moment their hands touched, he felt the word surge through him into her.</p><p>The lady’s eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat. “Malastare,” she gasped. “What...who said that? Why?”</p><p>The Child looked at her in confusion. Surely she’d know what it meant?</p><p>They didn’t have long to consider it, though. Three sharp knocks rang out from the penthouse front door.</p><p>The lady sprang up, his Mandalorian behind her rushing out of the bedroom. They turned to each other; the lady setting her jaw while the Mandalorian stepped forward to open the door.</p><p>As it slid back, The Child wasn’t sure what he saw. Three beings stood there; in front were two humans dressed entirely in black, with chrome tips on their lapels and deep purple pocket squares that matched the penthouse carpeting. Behind them was a single figure, of an alien species The Child didn’t know. The Child was entranced by both its blinking three eyes and the prominent purple jewel in its silver necklace.</p><p>The alien stepped forward. “Good evening, Ms. Taisha. I hope your visit to The Jewel thusfar has been...productive.”</p><p>The Child didn’t know if he shivered from the icy tone in this alien’s voice, or from the surge of cold fear that shot through both the lady and his Mandalorian at these words.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is a short one by this fic's standards, but I was miraculously on a real vacation last week, so I'm a week behind where I'd like to be. I wanted to do a slight detour into the mind of The Child - why not see what he's been up to for a moment? Regularly programmed long-ass chapters will resume later this week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A surprise invitation</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leith Bontrae’s three eyes revealed nothing about what he was thinking. Even several feet back from the penthouse door, though, Din could see the Gran empresario and owner of The Jewel casino scanning the penthouse living room, and taking in the figure of Ariake Taisha standing in front of him.</p><p><em> This can’t be good, </em>he thought. He glanced to his right, where he’d covered The Child’s pile of removed bugs with the first thing in reach; Ariake’s cape.</p><p>“I apologize for not being present to welcome you at your arrival - business delays on Courescant, could not be helped.” Bontrae said silkily, waving a hand in front of him as if whisk smoke away.</p><p>Ariake inclined her head, smoothing her rumpled dusty pink gown with her right hand. “Of course, understandable,” she intoned, her voice back in the clipped Courescanti tone he’d heard when they first landed on Cantonica. “I appreciate the courtesy shown to me by your staff, and the generosity of this upgraded accommodation.”</p><p>“I couldn’t have an emissary of Lando Calrissian staying in the mid-level rooms,” he barked with a laugh. On either side of him, his two black-suited human associates cracked tight-lipped smiles.</p><p>
  <em> Is the joke that those rooms would be too low-class for Calrissian, or too good for him? </em>
</p><p>From behind, Din saw Ariake’s shoulderblades tighten - she must have had the same thought.</p><p>“Nevertheless, I am glad to hear my employees have been accommodating and answered any questions you may have had.” Bontrae’s eyes narrowed slightly after saying this. “Good help is so hard to find these days. Speaking of…” he gestured into the room, toward Din and the Child.</p><p>“Ah yes, my bodyguard. I don’t travel without him.” Ariake tossed her head slightly toward The Child, feigning a haughty casualness. “And my dear pet...Adiik. He can’t stand to be without me for long.” </p><p>“A bodyguard in full beskar...Calrissian truly does take care of his people.” Bontrae intoned. “Well, the more the merrier - I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to dine with me and my associates tonight in the casino. Heliotrope is no Core world bistro, but it more than stands up to the Majestic in the Grand Casino...in my humble opinion, at least.” Another barking laugh.</p><p>If Ariake was thrown by this invitation, her posture didn’t show it. “We would be honored...should I call you Master Bontrae?” she turned her head and Din could imagine the ingratiating smile straining her face, the tension puckering the corners of her eyes.</p><p>“Oh, just Leith is fine, my dear! And incidentally, it’s Lord Bontrae now. The Republic has seen fit to recognize my economic development work here in the Outer Rim.”</p><p><em> Running a casino with crooked books is ‘economic development’ now? </em>Din’s eyebrow raised. He heard The Child rustling the edge of Ariake’s cloak on the floor and nudged him away with his foot.</p><p>
  <em> Leave it alone, ‘Adiik’. </em>
</p><p>Ariake was continuing the diplomatic dance. “Ah, congratulations, a well-deserved honor. When should we meet you?”</p><p>“I can send B6M2 to retrieve you in, let’s see, an hour? Will that be enough time? I fear I may have...interrupted something.”</p><p>Din was confused, until he saw the Gran’s eyes swiveling across the cape crumpled on the floor. The cape that matched Ariake’s gown. </p><p>
  <em> Scumbag. </em>
</p><p>“Oh!” Ariake cleared her throat, and absently tugged at her neckline. “Nothing at all, I’m afraid I’m just not the neatest houseguest. My bodyguard maintains he is not my maid and will not pick up after me, so perhaps I need to add one of those to my entourage too!” She gave a high fluttering laugh, more grating than what she intended.</p><p>“Ah yes. I will see you in an hour, then.” Bontrae inclined his head, a malicious smile playing on his lips before he turned away with his associates and walked back up the corridor.</p><p>The door slid closed. Ariake immediately slumped, leaning against it.</p><p>“That was...how much do you think he knew? I’m not surprised he’s here, or even that he came up to the room, but really, the timing…” her glance darted between Din, The Child, and the cloak covering a pile of torn-out bug. She shut her eyes and a low, panicky laughter escaped out of her mouth.</p><p>Din stepped over to her. “Hey, take a breath. You did great.”</p><p>“He suspects something. He might know who we talked to here, what we asked.”</p><p>“He might. Or he’s just suspicious; wants to show Calrissian he can’t make a habit of sending his employees to check up.”</p><p>Ariake nodded, her eyes still unfocused. “Malastare.” she murmured.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Malastare,” she repeated, looking up at him. “The kid gave me that word right before Bontrae arrived.”</p><p>“Gave you?” Din tilted his head.</p><p>“Like he did on the Razor Crest, sent it to me through touch.” she muttered. “But it wasn’t in any voice I’d ever heard. It had so much...malice in it.”</p><p>“Let’s get some air.” Din took her arm, and Ariake allowed herself to be guided outside to the balcony. The Child turned toward them as they walked out.</p><p>The Cantonica sun had now completely dropped behind the mountains on the opposite side of the Canto Bight valley. There was a sharpness to the evening wind, suggesting the desert night would be far colder than the sun-scorched day. Below them, they could hear transports pulling into the casino speederbay; laughter and screams from the galaxy’s young and brash, ready to lose their month’s salary in a few hours. </p><p>Ariake took a few deep breaths, her forearms on the balcony railing. She gazed down into the winking lights of the city of Canto Bight. </p><p>Din stood next to her. He glanced over<em> . I need her to hold it together for a few more hours, until we get the datastick out of here. </em></p><p>“Where did you get that name for the kid?” he prompted.</p><p>“Adiik? Mandoa - it means ‘child’.” she shrugged with a small smile.</p><p>“Clever. And Malastare...the planet?” Din prompted.</p><p>“It must be.” Ariake nodded, her face falling. </p><p>“What’s the connection?”</p><p>“It’s a mining planet, almost uninhabitable…” She bit her lip. “It’s where Bontrae made his first fortune. Malastrian fuel extraction and shipping.”</p><p>“But none of that’s illegal. How does money laundering come into play?”</p><p>Ariake shut her eyes, her face going slack. Din was suddenly reminded of The Child, right before he used his powers or whatever it was to do something unbelievable.</p><p>After a moment, she exhaled slowly, opening her eyes. “I don’t know. I can’t see it,” she murmured. Her brow was furrowed, staring at the ground. </p><p>“Maybe there’s no connection,” Din suggested gently. “Just some old memory the kid had in mind.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Ariake nodded. “Fifty years old, you’d have a lot of random data in there, I guess.” Her weak smile didn’t meet her eyes. “Anyway, quick thinking with my cape. It would have been infinitely worse if Bontrae or his cronies saw the pile of bugs.”</p><p>Din cleared his throat. “Sorry he...said something about it.”</p><p>Ariake winced. “Well, now I know how he works; the kind of person who jokes to throw people off.” </p><p>“Prefer a blaster for throwing people off, personally.” Din said dryly. Ariake smirked, but she still seemed distracted, gazing into the blackness.</p><p>“And if he’d seen the sleep pod set-up in your Hopper, he’d know better,” she murmured.</p><p>“My what?” Din’s voice cut in. <em> Did she give the Razor Crest a nickname? </em></p><p>“Huh? Oh!” she swung around to face Din, looking mortified. “So, yeah, remember how I said I’ve been in a ship like the Razor Crest before?”</p><p>He nodded once.</p><p>“Well, I have; almost every weekend, from the year we moved to Dantooine when I was 10 until I left eight years later.” </p><p>Din was sure his startled expression was still coming through in body language.</p><p>“‘The Hopper - Dantooine’s only way to hop from here to there!’” she said in a sing-song voice, looking more than a little embarrassed to have brought it up at all. Din gestured for her to continue.</p><p>“With the Empire, all of these short-range Republic gunships were decommissioned, right? Some passed into private hands, like the Razor Crest, but others... the Dantooine regional governor saw a real opportunity. The planet is mostly dense jungle and oceans; there are a few open plains, but cities and towns are spread hundreds of miles apart. So the planet bought about 50 gunships, sold off the hyperdrives and turrets, put in rows of seats in the cargo bay, and…”</p><p>“And the Razor Crest is a Dantooine bus service.”</p><p>Ariake snorted. “Exactly! Marcus and I went to a boarding school in Dantoo Town while our mother was...getting herself back together after Courescant. She moved onto a piece of my father’s family land; it’s fairly remote. We would take the Hopper to Mar Asha every weekend to stay with her. Marcus even got a part time job on the Hopper service when he was 14 or so. He worked his way up to the cockpit, and he’d let me sit up there while he flew. Work the controls a little, kid stuff like that.” She hugged herself, possibly to keep warm in the night air.</p><p>“Does he still fly now?” Din asked.</p><p>“No,” she said sharply, expressionless. “He’s dead. Above Endor, medical ship pilot.” </p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. He was proud to be there, so was I.”  </p><p><em> Well, that’s one way to help her regain mission focus; remind her of her dead brother </em>. Din flinched in frustration.</p><p>She looked into his eyes, a resolute smile on her face. “Well, I’ve probably talked enough. Thanks for listening.” </p><p>“No problem. I...I’m hired to help.”</p><p>Ariake nodded, as Din felt a further pang. <em> Hired.  </em></p><p>“Going to get ready; do you need to...polish?” she ventured.</p><p>“No, I polished myself yesterday.” Din blurted out.</p><p>“Did you?” Ariake winked at him as she turned back toward the balcony entrance. </p><p><em> All right, she’s fine. Walked right into that one, though. </em> Despite the surge of embarrassment, he felt his shoulders unclench with relief as he followed behind her.</p><p>“Hey, kid,” he called out to The Child. “What’s your favorite food? This place can probably make whatever you want.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If this seems like a weird non-chapter, it kind of is. I realized how long the entire chapter was shaping up to be, so I cut it in half(ish). Bad news is not much happens, good news is a LOT happens in the next one, and that there should be two new chapters in a single week.<br/>I know, readers, try to contain yourselves.</p><p>Also fun fact, there's at least one Mandoa dictionary online! God love 30 years of Star Wars online community.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Come to beautiful Canto Bight for the galaxy's best in dining, art appreciation, double-edged conversations with scumbag businesspeople, and two very out-of-practice people's attempts at romance.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The clatter of B6M2’s metal feet on The Jewel casino atrium floor was the only sound coming from the group as he escorted them to the rear elevator bank. But this was hardly true of the Canto Bight casino in general.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If I thought things were wild before...this scene feels like three fights and two fortunes’ lost before the end of the night, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Din thought, surveying the eager faces pushing past, on the way to the game tables, the slot machines, or with them, up to the Heliotrope restaurant and nightclub.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glanced over at Ariake, now dressed in a royal blue jumpsuit, cut from clavicle to below the breast bone. Calrissian’s gold necklace shone against her skin, the diamond winking in the casino lights. The Child was sitting in the bag on her hip, which she rested a hand against as she sidestepped the milling crowds. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face had formed a haughty mask, and Din suspected he was the only one there who could see the tremble in-between her eyebrows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt a warmth in his chest, looking at her. Admiration. And, well, not just that. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Mission objectives</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mando, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he admonished himself with a hard exhale. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get her through dinner, get her through the night here, and first thing, we’re back to Phaeda.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>B6M2 guided them around the crowds at the elevator bank and pressed open a recessed staff door on the left. Past a line of casino employee lockers, there was a scratched black elevator bay.  “For guests of particular renown, or simply those dining with leadership, we must direct to the staff elevator. What it lacks in decor, it certainly delivers in discretion…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator door creaked open and they entered. B6M2 held his hand to the scanner panel, and the elevator shot upward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din passively wondered if a protocol droid like B6M2 could pick up on tension from sentients. It seemed like it should be in their core programming. It if could, though, this put no dent in the droid’s idle chatter about the Heliotrope’s culinary influences and number of Outer Rim regional restaurant awards.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake seemed to be getting some enjoyment out of this monologue, at least. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She does like culinary things; maybe eating here’s the high point of the trip for her. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> She glanced over at him from his left and smirked briefly, rolling her eyes. Din grinned, with the strange hope that she could somehow see it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child let out a little squeak as the staff elevator jerked to a halt, the doors juddering open on what looked like a breakroom. B6M2 rushed them through the space and out a door that opened on a long empty hallway. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh great, more black and dark purple.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The Jewel’s motif was nothing if not consistent. It took Din a few steps to realize that along the left side of the hallway were four large framed paintings. The first one seemed familiar...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” he murmured. Ariake stopped ahead of him and turned toward the wall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! These are…” she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to remember.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma-shan Tehri,” Din finished. “This is the Exile series.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Correct!” B6M2 exclaimed. “I must compliment you on your taste, sir, rarely does a guest so easily recognize one of the Outer Rim’s most unique artistic talents, much less stop to appreciate it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din barely heard the droid, he was transfixed by the riot of colors and textures slapped on the canvas in front of him. It was sharp, harsh, alive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve seen this one before, in a gallery on Ord Mantell. But all four…,” he gestured down the hall to each subsequent image. It was as if the shades were tightening in on themselves, leaving more and more raw white canvas around the ragged edge. The fourth painting only had color in an area the size of a fist. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe it’s not that the color is draining, but that the blankness is closing in.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t realize you were a fan.” Ariake said, a curious expression on her face as she looked at him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, still finding himself unable to be torn away. “Ma-Shan was a Twi’lek artist from a colony on a moon in the Ryloth system. It was raided by the Pyke Syndicate around the same time as the Empire rose. The whole colony was taken into slavery and sold off across the galaxy. Eventually, she was sent to Kessel. Spice mining.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s mouth tightened. “Horrible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She spent maybe two years there, breathing in the toxic dust next to Wookies, humans, Gigorans...when the mine was liberated, she was one of the few still alive. But her body was failing. She spent the last few months of her life collecting soil from the homeworlds of every species she was enslaved with- Kashyyk, Ryloth, Gigor, and mixing it into the paint for this series, in their memory.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>B6M2 clapped its metal hands together. “An excellent summary, good sir, I thank you - Master, ah I mean LORD, Bontrae was fortunate enough to be able to purchase the entire set in a private auction on Courescant...” the droid babbled on, waving them forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake looked back at Din, a pained expression on her face. Din nodded, suspecting they shared the same thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>A monument against exploitation, hung in a private hallway like mounted trophies for Bontrae to admire and keep away from those who would be inspired by them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned away, sighing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group came to the end of the hallway and turned right, through another door. Their eyes were filled with the glow of glittering purple sign, running floor to ceiling along a multi-story escalator filled with revellers, neon sparks darting around the edge of each letter. HELIOTROPE.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bontrae and the two associates from earlier were already seated at a single table when they arrived in the restaurant’s private room. Heliotrope was set into the faceted ceiling of the casino complex, invisible from the atrium floor. The shard walls that seemed opaque before proved were translucent, lit with an intermittent purple glow.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We can almost see out, but no one can see in</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Din realized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the private room door slid shut, the sound of glasses clinking and muffled synthetic-bass tracks from the nightclub below was instantly blocked out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, you’ve made it! Excellent, please, take a seat,” Bontrae stood, gesturing across the oval table to three chairs on the opposite side. They sat, Ariake taking the middle chair across from Bontrae while Din and the kid sat to her right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope you’ve brought your appetite, Ms. Taisha,” the Gran continued, fingering the fist-sized purple jewel around his neck. “I’ve requested a four-course menu in honor of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of me?” Ariake smiled, a brow crease appearing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure someone of your culinary interest knows of Heliotrope’s reputation. Our chefs are up to any challenge, and I wanted to see if they could recreate some dishes close to your heart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh!” Her smile tightened in the corners, “You honor me, Lord Bontrae.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din looked across the table at one of Bontrae’s associates. The man looked him head on, giving a queasy sneer. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bontrae knows who she is - this is a threat.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Din pushed his left foot against her right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Say the word, I’ll get you out of here. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She pressed back steadily with her own foot, not taking her eyes away from Bontrae, who was now telling a lively story about the construction of the Jewel casino.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Message received, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought. He moved his foot away, but suddenly felt her knee lean against his instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face grew warm, and he fought the urge to put his left hand on her knee in response. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She wants to know you’re there without being able to look at you, that’s it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The door slid open, and a Rodian in a black suit and apron came in carrying steaming bowls, which he set in front of every diner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a stew of some kind, chunks of meat and potato in an electric orange shade. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake looked non-plussed. “Is this…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tiingilar!” Bontrae said, clapping his hands in pleasure. “I see I have not one but two Mandalorians before me, I couldn’t resist having our chefs try to recreate a real classic of your culture.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Supposed to make even the hardest warrior sweat out of his armor,” the associate who had sneered at Din remarked, while the other made a tight grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, as I said, it’s an honor,” Ariake said, turning toward the retreating Rodian chef to thank him. He nodded stiffly, his eyes firmly on something in the upper corner of the room, before speeding out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Camera, maybe. Suspicious. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Din watched Ariake’s first bite. While she wasn’t in armor, her watering eyes and drop of hairline sweat suggested the associate wasn’t wrong. She daintily patted her eye corners dry with the cloth napkin. The Child, meanwhile, was happily taking bites from his bowl, clearly impervious to the stew’s effects.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, master bodyguard, no Tiingilar for you?” Bontrae said, gesturing toward him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, thank you,” Din responded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not up to your standards?”, the Gran’s mouth downturned slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is pledged to remain helmeted, he cannot eat in front of others. Adiik and I, on the other hand...” Ariake explained, clearly trying to draw attention away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bontrae pulled his head back, looking genuinely surprised. “A Child... I thought they were all extinct,” he mused. He glanced to the right at his quieter associate with an unreadable expression before turning back to Din. “Ah well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cuy ogir’olar</span>
  </em>
  <span>…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed.” Ariake cut in, sparing Din from answering. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Even this scumbag speaks Mandoa, and I don’t?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>—-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dinner progressed- the Tiingilar was followed by a salad of pickled Dantooinian greens, a Courescanti-style shaved roast boar, and a Phaeda shaved ice in electric mira-bird green for dessert.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much to Din’s relief, Bontrae addressed all his remarks to Ariake, pointedly ignoring The Child eagerly slurping up whatever was set before him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He sees the kid as an annoying pet. Good - the Gran just might live through this.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake more than held her own, being well-informed in both Courescanti politics (“what are your thoughts on the Senate’s proposed landing tax increase?”)  and Outer Rim business ventures (“there seems to be a real hunger for more on-world pilot training centers, even if they are for-profit”).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dared to nudge her knee, seeing her smile slightly from the corner of his eye. Calrissian’s gold necklace was catching the neon light cutting across the faceted walls around them.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All that study time in the basement is paying off, Ariake; you’ve almost talked us out of here,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought admiringly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door again slid open, and Din felt more than heard the bass thundering from the nightclub below. Clearly the party was only getting bigger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Rodian chef was back again, this time with a series of palm-sized square plates on a tray.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake looked at Din as she directed her gaze at the door. He could read her confusion: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bontrae said four courses; this is the fifth dish…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah! And here’s my little surprise, a true delicacy for a gourmand like yourself.” Bontrae enthused as the plates were set down. Din and the Child peered at what looked like a cube of jiggling gritty brown liquid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you recognize it, Ms. Taisha?” Bontrae prompted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m...afraid you have me at a loss.” she murmured, looking up at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something nearly impossible to source these days, but as you know, everything has a price...for your tasting pleasure, jellied cubes of pure Ugnaught liver.” Din felt his mouth slacken, and involuntarily looked over at Ariake. Her refined bearing fell like a pane of glass, her eyes glassy and face a sickly pale, lips pursed.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kuill, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Din thought, remembering the Ugnaught who saved him on Arvala-7. He put his right hand against the bottom edge of The Child’s outfit, keeping him from trying out this delicacy, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No, kid...this is a monster, don’t be like him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are familiar with Ugnaughts, aren’t you?” Bontrae continued, his three eyes taking in Ariake’s palpable discomfort and ignoring it. “They work a variety of menial jobs across the Outer Rim, including the waste compaction in the Cloud City, where I believe you were an administrator for a few years during the Rebellion. Such a pity what happened there when Vader arrived, especially to them…” He tented his fingers and leaned forward. There no trace of sympathy, real or affected, on his face now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s leg began to tremble against Din’s under the table. He knew he couldn’t move; even the smallest twitch and these associates would see it as a reach for his blaster and eliminate them. Instead, he held his leg firm, willing whatever he had left in him into Ariake. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hold on, we’re so close.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The air had thickened around them, everyone’s eyes on the woman in blue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake took the smallest exhale, and he felt her. She was drawing from somewhere deep. Back straightened, chest forward, chin raised, eyes down. The Emissary once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t eat sentients,” she said in a clipped tone, eyes flashing. “I have spoken.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha!” Bontrae exploded in a mirthless laugh, his sudden outburst causing The Child to lurch backward in surprise. “A true pity there are some things you won’t gamble on, Ariake. It seemed like you were so daring before...no matter, more for me.” He reached over and popped her liber cube in his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Magnificent,” he murmured, his three eyes closing in pleasure. “Ah, well, I should let you young ones go; enjoy this night! Take some house credit,” he gestured to the right-hand associate, who tossed a handful of chips across the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In fact, leave through the nightclub. Who knows what the night will bring?” His cold smile had a sneering aspect to it now, but no matter. Din was filled with relief as they got up. Ariake nodded with a cold smile to her host, and waiting until the door slid shut to slouch and sigh, shaking her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re in more danger than ever, but at least now it’s the kind of danger I can answer with a kick and a grappling hook.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>------</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked out of the private dining room, through the sea of restaurant tables between them and the giant escalator to the exit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Passing the restaurant entry line, Ariake stumbled on a female Wookie’s bag, and turned to apologize. Din held out a hand. “Sorry, I’m feeling a little dazed, I think, but considering the circumstances, not surprising,” she murmured, transferring The Child’s bag to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The neon escalator seemed to brighten her spirits, however: the Heliotrope nightclub behind the base of the escalator was still just getting started for the evening, and wouldn’t hit full swing until dawn. Even at this early point, though, the crowds were starting to settle in to VIP tables, ordering buckets of Corellian spirits, and stepping out onto a landing-pad-sized dancefloor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake couldn’t seem to resist wandering in, walking just fast enough that it Din a moment realize she wasn’t behind him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He followed, catching her by the arm. She’d led them to a quieter corner of the dancefloor by an unstaffed bar. She slowly rotated on her heel to face him. “We should get back upstairs. Ideally, we’ve done enough diplomacy and can get out of here already,” Din said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake nodded slowly, but her hips had started swaying to the slow, distorted beat. The galaxy’s young were all around them; dancing, drinking,  ducked into dark corners doing things they didn’t want seen. This would have been the scene in any club in any star system across the galaxy but here, Din felt there was something something darker to it, something that felt unnerving and wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>All the purple lights, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought distractedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake grabbed his other arm, stepping toward him. “Just one night here, give me one dance.” she shouted, then seemed surprised how loud her voice was. She whispered, “Please, I don’t want to be alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din swallowed. “I don’t...know how to do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled slowly, “Then let me show you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s hand moved down his arm and caught his own hand, the palm open. Neon green, purple, blinding white flashed across her face in rhythm. She brought it toward her cheek. Her breath grazed a spot of his exposed wrist. The bass resonated inside him; he could feel every inch of himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, she guided his hand over to her mouth. He knew they should leave, but getting his legs to cooperate...her chest rose and fell with the music. He felt his thumb and somehow, it was running over her lips. His haptic gloves weren’t fingertips, but the distinction didn’t seem to matter now. He could feel the yielding softness, traces of lipstick. She looked into his eyes, through him. Again. A small moan escaped her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still had her hand over his. Ariake began to gently tug it downward, over her chin, along her neck. Two of his fingers traced between her collarbone, over Calrissian’s necklace. The diamond winked at him in the violet light. Still lower, his little finger catching the silk edge of her plunging neckline and running along it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake...The Child’s here,” he gulped. She didn’t seem to hear him, and luckily the Child was distracted by all the lights. His fingers were now being pulled to the left. She bit her lip, and he couldn’t stop himself from looking down, where his hand now hovered over her breast. The nipple hardened, showing through the thin blue silk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din felt a rush of desire surge through him, stronger than any he’d felt in years, maybe since he’d pledged the Creed…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I want you, Ariake - whatever you’d like to do with me, whatever you want. Just let me feel this way for a little longer.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He dimly wondered if he actually said any of that out loud, and looked up at Ariake’s face for confirmation. Her face was as entranced as before, but she was something wrong with her eyes. Not unfocused, but one pupil…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din pulled back suddenly, the spell broken. One pupil was the size of her entire iris, while the other had shrunken to a pinpoint. Only one drug caused this reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Spice.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned over her, taking her by the shoulders and giving her a little shake. “Ariake...do you know where you are?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” she looked up at him in a narcotized haze.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to leave, now.” he muttered, pulling her around to his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A mocking voice rang out behind him. “What’s the hurry? Your mistress need you to serve her all night long?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child made a fearful squeak, dropping into the bag. Din didn’t need to turn around to know who that was, but looking up, he realized Bontrae’s slimy associates weren’t the only two surrounding the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point while he was...distracted, the club had been cleared out.The only people near them besides a bartender ducking (</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jarvis?)</span>
  </em>
  <span> were two horned Devaronian bouncers flanking him, the associates behind. All had blasters drawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din shot a look at Ariake, who was leaning against his shoulder, her head lolling.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If I can get her stun blaster...no. I can’t protect all three of us.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He gently bent his knees and set her down on the glowing floor. Rising, he raised both hands, palms out in surrender.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I knew this job couldn’t be that easy.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Stopping a sexual experience with someone who's too impaired to give consent - this is the Way! </p><p>Glad I split this long-ass chapter in two; we're leaving Din's head for the next one so hopefully everyone enjoys the changeup in perspective. </p><p>Also I fully admit to getting creative with the effects of spice (I'm imagining something like MDMA rather than opium/heroin) because Wookiepedia was super-vague, and that's the final say I listen to. Read through the whole Extended Universe just to be accurate? I got a day job, man.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>About shame and regret...plus an easy way to get any Mandalorian mad as hell.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There was no air in space. Ariake Taisha knew this; she’d known since she was young enough to point at the cruisers rising over the spires and megabuildings and slums of Courescant, and ask her father why they had no open windows to enjoy the night air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And somehow, he was telling her the answer now. “Because the pilots would fly out an open window and be lost in the vacuum. No one would hear from them again.” He looked up at her, and she realized they were both hovering over the windy night desert of Cantonica.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad...no, you aren’t here anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled sadly, his brown hair wisping across his forehead. “Neither are you, Ari.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then, she wasn’t. She was falling through layers of air and earth and flowing through the colors of the Exile Series, hanging forgotten in a back hallway of The Jewel Casino.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Kashyyk, Ryloth, Gigor...</span>
  </em>
  <span>ochres and oranges and blue-black soil passed before her eyes. She reached out, feeling the grit of the paint in her hands, stinging across her cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The lands to hold the memory, but the beings lost in the vacuum. No one will hear from them again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The colors passed through her in turn, and she found herself in the blank chalk whiteness at the edge of the paintings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The color hardened inside her like plaster. She felt her eyes casting around, noticing it was not all a flat whiteness. There were forms emerging, a gloss rising to the edges. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt her heart contract. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No. Not here. Don’t bring me back here.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A voice rang out in the whiteness: “...Such a pity what happened there when Vader arrived…”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down and saw she was in the tan suit, a silver chain fastening the powder-blue cape. Ever Lando Calrissian’s faithful accountant, even in the last days of Cloud City. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because this was the last day. She knew who would appear now, what he would make them do. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>No. What we chose to do.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It was always the same dream, once it started down this path. She gritted her teeth, willing herself to reach out - if not with her frozen limbs, with the Force.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fight this time, Ariake. Save the city.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>But there was nothing. Always nothing. She was no fighter. She couldn’t even shoot a blaster, much less strike down one of the most powerful Force users the galaxy had ever known.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The molten shame melted her limbs, and she fell to the ground. There was a crumpled paper before her, breaking the expanse of Cloud City’s glossy tile flooring. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is different,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she felt herself thinking, as she reached toward it. Opening it, she saw it was the note the cleaner had passed Din in The Jewel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Noriah D’alo. Employee #R483. 2 months MISSING’</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t see you, Noriah. I can’t see the pattern. Show me where you are.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A viscous blackness poured around her, clinging to the walls and floor. She gasped as it filled her lungs, and opened her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever Ariake was expecting to see, it wasn’t the inky black eyes of The Child peering down at her, standing on a chair. His face was cast in cool glow from the light purple walls. She realized she was lying flat, and brought her head up, feeling a sudden urge to retch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid, I...where am I? Are you all right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned slowly toward him, swallowing hard. His eyes softened as he smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok,” she murmured, reaching out a hand to him. He took it, and thankfully this time there were no malicious voices, just a sense of comfort. “Oh good. You’re all right, I’m...mostly all right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced behind him. The stun blaster and Lando’s necklace were on the bedside table. She exhaled, understanding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re on the Razor Crest. The sleep pod from before. And the rumbling...that’s the ship thrusters.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shot up in bed. It felt like championship podrace was rounding the corners in her brain, but no matter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She needed to talk to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The staggering walk through the living space and to the cockpit required two brief stops to catch her breath, but she persisted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pressing the door button on the cockpit, she looked in and saw the Mandalorian twist around in the pilot’s seat. The stars streaked by  behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh good, you’re alive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake would have cringed from the hardness in his voice if she wasn’t using most of her energy to stay upright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s...where are we going?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din abruptly turned back to the controls. “Where do you think? Back to Phaeda.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t understand.” She grabbed the back of the right-hand copilot chair and gingerly lowered herself down. Din kept staring forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake shut her eyes. W</span>
  <em>
    <span>hat was the last thing I remember touching, smelling? Things I can’t dream.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Ughnaught liver.” she replied, wincing. “Everything else is gone. Am I...what happened to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spice. Bontrae drugged our food.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Why!?” she rasped, her heart sinking. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Spice?!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“My guess? Bontrae’s first plan was to get us so drugged we’d give up the datastick, or they could take it from us. We’d return to Phaeda empty-handed, maybe with a police report for spice use.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you didn’t eat anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Din said shortly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So instead only I got spiced, and…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I got ambushed by his associates in the nightclub. I couldn’t get you and the kid to safety...I had to give the datastick up.” Din said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake sighed, clasping her hands. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you for for taking care of me. I’m not really an intoxicant person; big surprise.” she made a pained laugh. “I don’t know what I would do on spice...or what I did, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din cleared his throat and accidentally bumped one of the dials, triggering a flashing light. Switching it back off, he muttered, “It’s fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the kid...I guess his species is immune to the effects.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Guess so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She drummed her fingertips on her lips, thinking. “Without the datastick, I’ve got no proof for Lando, but the drugging is evidence they’re trying to cover something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure. If all you’d taken were the financials we were due.” Din turned toward her again, his annoyance apparently cutting through the desire to give her the cold shoulder. “Then Bontrae would have no reason to hurt you. But stealing the employee records - everything that happened afterward was just Outer Rim payback.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Payback?” she said blankly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bontrae let us live to give Calrissian a warning to stay out, without giving him enough of a reason to retaliate.” He shook his head, the helmet reflecting the stars flying past outside the window. “Feels like you should know it works out here by now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry. I...I didn’t think they would find out so quickly.” Ariake heard her voice wavering to a whine and hated herself for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You put us all at risk without warning me.” Din continued, the spite giving way to a hard bluntness. “And for what - did you figure out where Noriah D’alo went?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” she murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to the controls. “It doesn’t matter now. You’re going back to Calrissian, and the kid and I are getting enough credits to buy us a little more time. The Jewel employees, and Leith Bontrae, and Malastare, and all the rest of it is not my problem anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake leaned back in the cockpit chair, feeling her heart beat. She realized she was still wearing the royal blue dress from dinner, and that Din must have carried her into the Razor Crest’s sleep pod dressed this way. She winced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes closed, and through the waves of hungover exhaustion, she felt a strange stillness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something about the way he had listed each word out. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Malastare…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A scrap of memory surfaced, from long before the trip to Canto Bight.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It can’t be that simple.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>‘‘Good help is hard to find’ - Bontrae said it himself.” Ariake breathed. Her eyes shot open.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Fuel mine work is dirty, dangerous, and the pay is horrible. Like Jarvis said at the bar, no one wants those jobs, even if they’re desperate to leave their backwater home planet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuel mines.” Din slowly brought a fist down on the arm of his chair. Ariake could hear his concentrated frustration, but below that, she sensed he was still at some level curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok,” he managed. “Why sentients? Why not just use droids?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Good point. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She tried to force the bead of a thought through her still-muddled brain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The conditions...they’re so extreme, someone has to fix the droids when they overheat. And then there are some jobs where the ground is too unstable from years of strip-mining, and droids can’t manage. It has to be a sentient.” She stood up, felt herself swaying from foot to foot in the cockpit.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I read about this years ago. The Republic is trying to put a stop to these practices and mandate safer mining. But even the Mid Rim is hard for the Republic to keep an constant eye on without a good reason...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice started rising in excitement, the adrenaline pushing out the shame she felt moments earlier. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Din, the money laundering is coming from the increased output in the Malastare mines. Bontrae knows showing a far higher return on the mine’s financials would get the Republic breathing down his neck, asking how it was possible. So he sells the excess fuel off to the syndicates or the Hutts, and all the excess profits get laundered through The Jewel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the new mine employees...Noriah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly! Trafficking was the piece I was missing.” She felt herself smiling in a manic triumph. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There’s a reason I try and keep my work in a corner of the basement - not a good look to be this celebratory about sentient trafficking. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She paused to take a breath and regain a sober expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At least some of the new employees are from this scheme, anyway; he probably needs more than a few new ones per month. But it’s such a simple bait-and-switch: recruit for The Jewel casino in every remote system, the kind with no real opportunities beyond moisture farming or becoming Imperial cannon fodder. Get a flood of new applicants. Only hire sentients who are desperate for a better life; people without money or family connections. Every month, a few of them publicly win big at The Jewel with the issued house credits. Then you just hustle them offworld somehow. Spread the rumor they’d taken the winnings and moved on. No one would question it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He gets them off-world through threats? Promises?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not sure. Maybe we’re not the only ones Bontrae has used the spice-in-the-food trick on. But ...we can find out,” she ventured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In for a credit, in for the pile…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Malastare. We’re not that far away. Bontrae’s people will be editing The Jewel’s server files now; we have to find evidence in person before it all disappears.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din twisted a dial, pointedly not looking toward her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t have to do anything.” he muttered. Raising his voice, “We were lucky to survive - lucky we’re not a pile left out to rot in the Cantonica sun right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake dropped her head, acknowledging it. But she couldn’t give up that easily. It wasn’t Cloud City this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If this theory is true, there are innocent people there. Like Ma-shan Tehri, people held against their will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He said nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ok, big guns.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She stepped forward, standing directly behind his chair. The cockpit noise dimmed to a blurry fuzz as she focused. “We can save them...this is the Way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din straightened and slowly rose from the chair, turning to face Ariake. He took a step toward her, causing her to involuntarily step back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may have a mother who grew up in the royal court of Mandalore. You may speak some ancient language, you’re descended from Mandalor himself for all I know. But you have not taken the Creed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leaned toward her, his voice barely above a whisper. Her dress brushed against his leg. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know the Way; you are not a Mandalorian.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt fear pass across her face. Until now, she hadn’t known the empty coldness in Din’s voice when he was truly angry.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Well, now I know what gets the bounty hunter mad at me.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The thought made her heart twist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She dropped her head. “You’re right...I’m not a Mandalorian. Not like you are, anyway. It’s not the Way I follow; I don’t get to say what it means for you.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up. “I’m sorry, Din. For everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard a squeak and realized at some point in the last few minutes, The Child had come into the cockpit and climbed into her empty seat. She looked over at him with a weak smile. Din followed her gaze, his shoulders falling as he saw The Child.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He wants the parents to stop fighting</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she realized, and vaguely wondered if The Child had passed that thought to her directly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, too.” Din said, still looking at The Child. “Let’s get you home, Ariake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake Taisha was sorry about a lot of things in her thirty-three years of life. Sorry her father was killed by the Empire when she was ten, sorry the grief tore her mother apart, sorry she never had the chance to visit the Jedi Temple on Courescant. More than any of that, though, she was sorry for following the Way of the Outer Rim. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“...take care of your people, be honest when you can, but above all, survive. Just survive.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d done these things faultlessly for almost a decade now: taken care of Lando Calrissian and his ever-shifting business ventures; lied, hid information, charmed. ‘Convinced’ using Jedi mind tricks when she had to. Through it all, she managed to survive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> But so many hadn’t. People who stood for more than survival, who made their lives more meaningful than finding the next hidden piece of a pattern in an account. People who didn’t run away to the next system, the next gamble; they stood and fought. People like Marcus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three hours after her conversation, as she completed a credit transfer from CalCorp’s account to one Din Djarin, she wondered how Marcus would view the last few days. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He once called my job with Lando “the most amoral job in the galaxy...but at least you’ll learn some style, kid. Style and the ability to fly a Hopper, you’re good for life!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned, and shifting in the pilots chair, looked down at the Razor Crest’s navigation computer and coded in the coordinates for Malastare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, something she didn’t have to feel sorry about. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Mysteries revealed! Sort of, anyway. As always, thank you for sticking along for the ride this far. It's a long trip to and from Canto Bight, you know?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Past choices may predict the future, but you can always choose better...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“How did it feel, the moment you decided to come back for the The Child?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Razor Crest’s sleep pod speaker buzzed next to Din’s ear. He turned over on his bed, blearily brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. Stars continued to rush by out the porthole window on the wall behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We can’t be close already, Phaeda’s halfway across the galaxy, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” he managed in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When you were standing in front of the Client’s door, and you knew if you went in again, everything would change...what did that feel like?” Ariake’s voice came through the speaker, barely above a whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din cleared his throat and noticed one hand had automatically reached for his helmet tucked halfway under the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She can’t see you, Mando. And she’s clearly still feeling guilty about everything that happened at The Jewel.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt a swell of empathy, and instead put his hand on the wall that separated her sleep pod from his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if I can explain it. It wasn’t like I didn’t know how valuable the kid was to The Client - a camtono of beskar, about the most I’ve ever been paid for one job. Paying it back wasn’t an option.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No return policy for bounty hunters, huh,” Ariake’s murmur held a teasing note.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Din smirked. “And I was wearing the beskar at that point anyway. Taking back a bounty after payment: the Guild wouldn’t protect me for that, the Client would be after me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you decided to do it anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t feel like I had a choice. Not one I could live with, anyway. I’ve done a lot on these jobs, Ariake…” his voice broke off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waited for a response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t have the kid on my conscience. Every day I ask myself why I ever took that bounty in the first place, but then...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if you hadn’t taken it, someone else would have. And they might not have been as secretly kind  as you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din felt a chaotic mix of feelings hearing this: a pang of wariness that she was maybe trying to manipulate him like she had Jarvis, and underneath, an frankly embarrassing thrill that she thought he was kind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He decided to say nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake didn’t seem to mind. “I think I may have had that moment already - the time when you have to decide to do something that could ruin everything for you, but you won’t be able to live with yourself if you don’t...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din propped himself up on the pillow. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This whole Malastare thing can’t be that important to her…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Cloud City, five years ago.” she finished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din made a noise of recognition. “What Bontrae said about Ugnaughts, that wasn’t just about not eating sentients.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly.” she exhaled. “Ugnaughts built Cloud City, hundreds of years ago. They were originally indentured servants for a Correlian mining concern that wanted to process the tabana gas from the surface of Bespin. They worked long enough to earn their freedom, and in time gained equity in the mines themselves. Descendents of the original Ugnaughts managed the waste services for the entire station when I was there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Calrissian was the governor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baron Administrator, actually.” she chuckled. “As big business opportunities go, it was about the most legitimate one he’d ever been a part of. Cloud City was carefully quiet; no large military or money enough to merit Imperial attention. And that’s what every resident wanted more than anything, to stay out of the civil war. We managed it for 2 years before the war came to us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When Vader arrived…” Din murmured, remembering Bontrae’s words at dinner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” Ariake swallowed. “All the administrators were called into one of the palace’s largest conference rooms. So much of the palace was floor to ceiling glistening white. Tables, chairs; it took the cleaners an hour a day to keep it spotless. And then the door slides open and the room is flooded with darkness. Darth Vader is no small man, but it isn’t his size...it’s this crushing sense, like every hope, everything worth living for is being crumbled in his fist in front of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She drew a shaky breath. Din wished not for the first time that he could be on that side of the wall with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His lackeys told us some targets of immense importance to the Empire were coming to the city. All we needed to do was lure them to Vader, and in return, the Empire would leave the Cloud City, harming no one else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice was speeding up, like she wanted the story done as soon as possible, but couldn’t stop herself from saying it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They left, giving us a moment to discuss. Lando was unsure - we’d paid kickbacks to Imperial patrols, comped a few rooms at the Pair O’ Dice casino, but this was another level of favor. I...I said we should do it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gulped, the secret expelled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cloud City wanted to be free from the Empire. We didn’t know who these high-value targets were. If they were foolish enough to run here, why did that mean we owed them more protection than we did our own people? I convinced Lando to let Vader take them.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s voice cut short. Din could hear a ragged sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My own brother was in the Rebellion. How could I have been so heartless, or so foolish? Of course Vader didn’t keep his word, and really, why would he? They weren’t going to leave the city once it was clear we couldn’t make them.” she spat out. “Lando sounded the evacuation alarm when he realized his best friend was one of the targets. I stayed on the station for four days, locked in my office, trying to arrange transport for as many residents as I could. Every ship that could leave the station was packed with refugees.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake, you didn’t know, you tried…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please, I’m not done yet,” she gently cut in. “When the Bespin Wing Guard came to escort me out, as the Palace had been almost entirely overrun...I’d been in the Outer Rim for years at that point, but I’d never seen that many bodies. Stormtrooper, Guard, civliian...and in one corner, by the main docking bay, a pile…every Ugnaught on the station. They wouldn’t see their freedom taken away from them again. They were slaughtered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The speaker crackled with a bust of static. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ariake? Are you all right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A tight, small voice responded. “Yes. I’m sorry, Din. I don’t know how Bontrae knew about it, but I’ll carry what I did with me for the rest of my life. It’s not your responsibility to make me feel better about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it is my way of explaining why in fifteen minutes we’ll be entering the Malastare system.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Din shoved open the door and discovered Ariake was not in the other sleep pod -</span>
  <em>
    <span> the speakers work from the cockpit too, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he remembered with horror - he dashed toward the ship’s control panel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake Taisha was back in her black work clothes, sitting in the pilots chair - </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> pilots chair - legs crossed on the seat, eyes closed. There was her electro-focus music softly playing in the background. In the control panel, the navigation interface was flashing a ‘destination approaching’ message. For a moment, Din wondered where The Child had ended up, only to realize he was sitting on Ariake’s right knee, in a similar meditative state.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Out of my chair.” he tried to put as much bluntness in his voice as he could manage, but the sudden shift in emotions made it difficult to be convincing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened her eyes and turned her face toward Din. He again felt that heavy-gravity sensation, like she was seeing through his eyes and into his mind. But this time, there was no concern tensing her features. She looked more at ease than he had ever seen her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your account has been credited the full amount for my return to Phaeda,” she said. “I added a bonus for the fuel cost to take me here instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You...you don’t get to buy my time for additional jobs. Especially ones where we’re going up against one of the richest people in the Galaxy in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>mine</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” he stammered, realizing how foolish his anger sounded next to her almost unnerving calmness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” she said with a resigned smile. “You don’t need to help me; you don’t even need to stay.” She gestured toward the navigation interface. “I found a flat enough landing site a a few miles from the central mine facility. Just give me enough time to disembark and you and the kid can be off. No one needs to see you come or go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Leave you there?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> He felt his heart twist with worry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s your plan? These mines are massive facilities, do you have any idea where these workers even are?” The helmet’s microphone was not able to hide the creeping panic in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Child looked at Din and cooed, reaching his hands out to be picked up. Ariake grinned seeing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have a few ideas,” she said as Din reached down for The Child. “I don’t know what I’ll do when I find them, I don’t know how I’ll get them offworld,” she shook her head in disbelief. “It sounds insane when I say it; I have no data. But...I don’t feel like I’m alone in this. It’s like I’m trusting the feeling I should have trusted in Cloud City. The kid and I...I’m not explaining it very well.” she finished, wincing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two understand each other, you have some of the same power,” Din suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. He’s so much stronger than me, though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s got a few years on you,” Din remarked. “Does Calrissian know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Your boss can’t be all right with this.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, running a finger across the necklace. “He knows. Doesn’t approve exactly, but he understands. We have our own rationalizations around what happened on Cloud City- he thinks I’ve redeemed myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you don’t think so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” She looked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din took a seat in Ariake’s usual copilot’s chair, and on impulse, reached out to touch her cheek. She turned toward him, her eyes heavy. “Doing this won’t make that guilt go away,” he intoned. “I still carry a few jobs with me. The kid didn’t change that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake reached up and brought his gloved hand down to the arm of the chair. He was instantly reminded of their moment in the Jewel nightclub and felt his heart skip a beat, goosebumps prickling the skin beneath his armor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leaned toward him. “Nothing can change what we’ve done before. I have to accept that, somehow. But if we have the chance to choose better next time, it’s like we break our own pattern. Nothing scarier for an accountant, but…” she paused. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to do this, Din.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He put his other hand on hers, and looked into her face. The blurs of lightspeed-streaking stars were illuminating her brown hair, making her eyes shine. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Choosing better...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” he said. “But you’re not going alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--------</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whatever god had once cared for Malastare, they’d since been chased out by nearly a century of relentless exploitation. The landscape, once verdant, was now a series of plateaus and jagged rock formations, dotted with refineries, sitting above sprawling warrens of open mines. A distant sun’s light created minimal difference between night and day, leaving the planet in a state of perpetual twilight. The dirt on the planet’s surface had been charred black from burnt foliage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din was back in the pilot’s chair, and as the Razor Crest cut through layers of thin greenish vapor approaching the landing site, he wondered if this dirt had ever been used in a paint like what was in the Exile series. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not too likely those paintings would be hanging somewhere on-world, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he considered, looking down at the desolate expanse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The landing space Ariake directed them to was shrouded in a particularly heavy layer of this vapor, but through it, Din could see the lights of a small outpost twinkling about a mile away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You all right for a short walk?” Ariake asked, strapping her stun blaster holster on her hip as she stood at the edge of the Razor Crest’s gangway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din looked back at The Child standing in the cargo hold. “Stay here, and be good. I won’t be long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned away after shutting the gangway. Walking toward Ariake, he murmured, “If this goes south, the kid still comes first.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, a ghost of a smile on her face. “Of course. <em>Vor entye</em> - thank you for coming with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down at the distorted glow of the outpost ahead of them, he shook his head with a smile, thinking of how he’d described choosing to save The Child.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Didn’t feel like I had much of a choice. Not one I could live with, anyway. </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a surprisingly tough chapter for me to write - I think everyone has at least one decision in their lives that they rationalized at the time. Eventually the rationales wear away, and you're left with the thought that you chose something easy instead of something right. Ariake's choice on Cloud City cost people their lives; she'll never know what would have happened had she chosen differently. Maybe Vader would have liquidated the conference room and taken over the city himself. </p><p>Lots of big choices coming up, though! I'm looking forward to writing more Bontrae, to be honest - nothing like fleshing out a capitalist villain, they get the most choice lines.</p><p>Ty ty as always for reading xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Is there anything more depressing than a cantina bar at noon on a planet where it never gets sunny?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Main entrance, access road, debris tunnel, ventilation shaft. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>With each step, Ariake Taisha restarted her mantra.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Main entrance, access road…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The charred earth of Malastare crunched under her and Din Djarin’s boots as they walked toward the edge of a small settlement. She glanced up. Despite it being midday, the Malastare sun glowed weakly in the sky, clouded by refinery vapors tinged a sickening green. It was as dark as midnight on most other systems. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the attempt to distract herself, she felt her brain keeping cadence again. The four entranceways to the Meridian mine complex. Where Bontrae made his first fortune, digging down and hitting a continent’s worth of toxic Malastrian fuel bubbling beneath the surface. She felt a strong urge to consult the facility map from the Republic records again. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If the map’s still accurate, anyway...and the Force isn’t being particularly forthcoming with directions. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighed. Trusting your feelings made so much more sense while meditating on the options on the Razor Crest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A step ahead, Din held out a hand. They were standing across a flat expanse from the settlement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go ahead, scout the town, get us transport - you wait here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Why?” Ariake blurted out, jarred from her inner monologue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din turned. “You ever been in a mining town like this?” he asked skeptically. “They’re a rough crowd. Things could get ugly before we get what we need.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t done mining towns, but I have a lot of experience keeping things from getting ugly. Lando’s a good teacher.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din sighed, and Ariake felt a twinge of doubt in pushing back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s already going so far out of his way for me...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” he said. “Keep your stun blaster in easy reach; follow my lead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He set off with purpose toward one of the smaller buildings on the town's edge, an electric lantern swinging in the wind outside. They passed a rusted sign reading ‘Meridian Town’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Town’ was more of an ambition than a reality - the settlement was maybe fifteen buildings, most facing each other across a makeshift street. Most of the windows were dark, the metal building facades blackened by the planet’s regular dust storms. No foliage remained to hold earth down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake studied the buildings as they passed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This may be where some of the mine workers live, but it’s not near large enough for the number they’d need to employ. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cantina. If anyone has something to offer, it will be here.” Din gestured toward the door of the lantern-lit building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you know that’s what this was?” Ariake asked, genuinely curious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din made the sharp exhale behind his helmet that she was almost sure was his version of a chuckle. “Towns like this all look the same after a while. Farmers in town to sell crops, a few junk dealers, maybe an out-of-work pilot or two...and a bartender who will have what we need, no matter what that is.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake swept her hair back with her hand as the cool desert wind blew in between the buildings. “How many junk dealers? I’ll bet three - 5 credits on it.” she smirked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din cocked his head. “Three, huh? I’ll take that bet.” He hit the door open button, and the pair were bathed in the dim orange light of the cantina.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake’s Force skills didn’t extend quite far enough to predicting cantina attendance. There were only two bar patrons beside the bartender. All three were Dugs, the original native species of Malastare before it was ‘appropriated’ by the Gran. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din put out his hand and Ariake begrudgingly dropped in five credits. “You should stick to that no-gambling policy from The Jewel.” he murmured, a smirk in his tone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m on Malastare, aren’t I? I’m already gambling with everything I’ve got.” she turned to him, the small smile not meeting her resolute eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din nodded once. “Let me do the talking first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He approached the bar, as the Dug bartender was balanced on her hands, using feet to set fresh glassware on the higher shelves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din cleared his throat, placing hands on the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heading to the Meridian mine, looking for transport.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender turned. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Meridian</span>
  </em>
  <span> mine?” she repeated in a sarcastic tone. “Where you from, Shiny? No other mine in half a day’s travel from here. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Everyone’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to the Meridian mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din nodded in acknowledgement, unfazed. “Anyone going this afternoon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender raised an eyebrow, one foot polishing the beer tap. Din put down two of the credits he’d just gotten from Ariake. The bartender scooped them up and leaned back on her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s midday - everyone working there who lives in town already went over this morning,” she let out a single hacking cough. “Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t get there, mind. It’s just a quick speeder route.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She paused. Mechanically, Din placed down another credit on the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m really seeing the powerful bounty hunter in his element here - no wonder he thought I should have bribed that bartender Jarvis at The Jewel</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Ariake thought, hiding a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender smiled, jerking a foot toward the last seat on the left side of the bar, where an older Dug was sitting with two empty glasses in front of him, half awake.  “Mindor there always needs the credits, and he ain’t driving far today. Not ‘til he pays off his bar tab, anyway.” her smile turned up in a vicious snarl.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll talk to him. Thank you for your help,” Din replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck - they always need fresh bodies at Meridian; you two shouldn’t have any problem getting taken on,” the bartender chuckled nastily, turning back to the glasses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake glanced toward Din to see him already looking her way. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fresh bodies...how many employees do they work through?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mindor seemed completely unaware of the two strangers approaching him. Din motioned behind the Dug’s back for Ariake to sit on Mindor’s right. The bounty hunter leaned against the wall to his left, feigning casualness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heard you have a speeder, and you’ll be here all afternoon,” Din stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe.” The old Dug looked blearily at Din.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you show us?” Ariake said in what she hoped was a calming tone. Dugs weren’t known for having the most even-tempered reactions. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Not interested in an impromptu shoot-out - or a podrace for that matter. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s in it for me, girlie?” Mindor swung his head around to look at Ariake while she glanced above his head at Din, still leaning against the wall. He held up 2 fingers with his left hand, moved left hand to right, and then held up 5 with his right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake understood, but felt a jolt of fear in her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“20 credits now - 50 when we return it in a few hours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Weighting a deal like that in the Outer Rim is never a good sign - he must think there’s a good change we aren’t bringing this thing back.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mindor paused to consider, and then glanced forward into his empty glasses. “Twenty now, huh.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty now.” Din repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“OK, folks, follow me.” Mindor heaved up from the barstool, his long arms moving him across sticky cantina floor as the pair followed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t go too far now, Mindor,” the bartender called, the tone causing Ariake’s arm hair to stand on end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww, where else am I going to go to get such great company?” the Dug called behind him, muttering under his breath, “Woman will be the death of me, 2 credits for Malastrian ale, that’s robbery…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Outside, they turned left and headed around the back of the cantina. There were still no other beings in sight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Next to a few discarded empty kegs, a battered-looking V35 family speeder was haphazardly floating. Looking through the vehicle’s window, Ariake could see a few cracked chairs behind the pilot’s seat, with evidence of crumpled snack bags stuffed in between.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There she is,” Mindor slurred, whacking the hood fondly. “Not the newest model on the lot, but then, that’s true for you, too. Huh, girlie?” he barked out a laugh in Ariake’s direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Charming.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span> “Twenty credits, then.” Din, ignoring the Dug, motioned to Ariake to pay him the purse. Mindor grasped it in his left foot, his right holding the ignition key.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well now, let’s not get too hasty. What’s a few more credits between fast friends? How about that extra 50 right now?” His foot closed around the key. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not part of the deal,” Din said coldly, stepping forward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You see any other speeders out here?!” Mindor yelled, gesturing around the empty twilight of midday Meridian Town. “I’m the best you’ve got, ‘cause I’m the only you’ve got.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake held up a hand at hip level, stopping Din from going any further. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe I can persuade him my way before Din persuades uses his way…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like in The Jewel’s administrative office, she mimed tucking back her wavy hair with her right hand, stopping with the fingers about at nose height.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She breathed in, looking straight into Mindor’s eyes. He blankly turned his head to meet her gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty credits is enough to rent your speeder,” she intoned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twenty…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt her ears ringing as she entered the Dug’s mind.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ignore the intoxication - what’s underneath it? So much humiliation. His life has come to this: renting his only valuable possession to people he’s never met, with no guarantee it’s coming back, for drinking money he’ll blow in a matter of hours. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt a pang of sympathy but pressed forward, looking through his eyes with her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here are the keys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Here...are the keys,” Mindor murmured, his face ashen. He put his left foot forward, depositing them in Din’s open hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You will go back in, have another beer, and feel utterly unconcerned for a while,” Ariake murmured, a kinder tone in her voice now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will.” Mindor slowly turned, hobbling back around the building to the cantina entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I probably didn’t need to tell him to do that, where else was he going? But maybe he’ll feel a little break from the self-loathing…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She exhaled, bringing down her right arm. She felt Din staring at her, like a residual awareness from the work she’d just done. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In all these identical towns across the Outer Rim, he’s never seen something quite like that. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She felt small buzz of pride, along with the other, far more unnerving feeling that always followed a mind trick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her head and tried a casual smile, turning toward the speeder. “You know how to drive one of these, Shiny?” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>-------- </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“This whole time, you could do that? How many people have you done it on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The speeder had left the Meridian Town limits and was navigating the pair across a rock-studded plain in the direction of the Meridian mine complex.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How many in my life? Or since we’ve been together?” Ariake could hear a strange note in Din’s voice. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was he impressed, or afraid?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Din flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Since we’ve been together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one -a Mythrol working the administration desk at the Jewel. It’s how I got down to the servers the first time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Din nodded once, his gaze firmly fixed forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He wants to ask if I’ve used it it to him… </span>
  </em>
  <span>From the right side passenger seat, Ariake stole a glance at him. Even for her now more-practiced eye, his body language was particularly hard to read. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt the speeder shift to the right and slow to a stop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake raised an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din sighed. “Ok...what’s the plan here? You’ve had one this entire trip, you’ve got to have one now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Ah yeah, that’s fair. Well, the plan is…”. She rummaged in her pocket for portable display, in the process knocking yet another empty snack packet on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din opened the roof. A few of the nearest systems’ stars were glinting intermittently in the vapor-heavy sky. He turned towards her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Force or whatever you call it, it’s going to tell us how to get into a guarded facility, find one or more trafficked employees, sneak them out of the facility, and drive them back in this speeder that only has three open seats…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes...from a certain point of view.” Ariake murmured while bringing up the Meridian mine map. It glowed a flickering blue against the faded dashboard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din spoke with a quiet forcefulness. “And it’s in your point of view that my help only extends a few hours. I’ll take the speeder back; hopefully you’re in it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake looked up and smiled softly. “I haven’t forgotten.To be honest, I still can’t believe you offered to take me this far at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Din cleared his throat. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“You made a good case. And who could say no to that airtight plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake rolled her eyes, grinning.</span>
  <em>
    <span> “</span>
  </em>
  <span>Don’t worry - I’m not Luke Skywalker, I’m an accountant. The Force can guide us, but I’ve still got options.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning back, she gestured toward the map. “There are four possible entrances to the facility. The obvious one is through the front door,” she pointed out the largest aboveground building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din made a small slashing motion. “Won’t work. Mines aren’t known for visitors anyway, and security’s probably been told to keep a special eye out for people matching our description.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So no-go for option one. Option two is the access road to the debris field- the road begins far to the right of the facility, near the edge of the plateau here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“ It would let us get close to the debris tunnel...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Option 3,” Ariake cut in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...while the machinery could mask the sound of the speeder.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That may be the best bet, then. Less risky than option 4, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ventilation shaft. It would get us to the mine floor in a hurry, but I don’t know if we’d survive the trip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Din chuckled. “And the goal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Find Noriah. She can take us to whoever else was trafficked from the Jewel - and even if we can only save her this trip, we can take her back to Lando, and onto Courescant to testify against Bontrae.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finding one girl in a facility this big…” Din’s voice trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can find her. I can feel her there. You'll have to trust me, Din.” Ariake stated, with a quiet confidence she hoped would sound more real than it felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can help you, Ariake. I can’t trust you like that.” Din turned the speeder back on, glancing toward the map for the access road. Ariake felt her heart sink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because of re-routing the Razor Crest,” she suggested, turning toward him. “That’s fair - I’m not sorry I did it, but I can't blame you for mistrusting me. ” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And taking the employee records,” Din reminded her, as she winced with the memory. “And...maybe some other things,” he finished abruptly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake felt the speeder lifting as the sputtering engine finally turned over. She reached out a hand and rested it against Din’s right forearm. The beskar was always cooler to the touch than she expected.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Lando at least asked out loud... why is he so afraid of the question?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Din- that convincing, ‘mind trick’, whatever it’s called - I never used it on you.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never tried? Not even when I said no to this side trip the first time? Or...when we were in The Jewel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never tried. I don’t like using it, really - people should be able to own their own mind. It’s not my right to change that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Or maybe the real reason is that I don’t like how I feel when I use it. That taste of what it would be like to bend everyone to my will.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She felt the same thrilled shiver from when she heard the voice The Child gave her. <em>MALASTARE.</em> </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plus,”  she murmured, pushing down her fear, “It really only works if I can see the person’s eyes”. She glanced over and grinned while he steered the V35 toward the Meridian mine access road.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe it’s my own mind being tricked, but he looks a lot more relieved with that answer…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She exhaled, trying to reach out to the Force, wherever it was in the galaxy now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The access road was no more than a winding gravel path, spread just widely to allow digging and hauling equipment in and out of the debris field. Ariake had stowed the map, but even if they were concerned for a moment that they weren’t heading toward the mine, the growing thunder of machinery would have guided them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The speeder’s whine completely drowned out by the constant grinding down of rock debris, and the pops of flares from the series of refineries circling the debris field. These sounds were themselves eclipsed by the regular intervals of rumbling blasts from miles below the earth, a sensation that caused the speeder’s dashboard to rattle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the Meridian mine facility emerged from the vapors hanging on Malastare’s surface, Ariake was struck by just how squat and unimpressive it looked above than below- from the map she recognized the dome on the building furthest away designated it as the facility entrance. Otherwise, Malastrian fuel refineries were grey blocks wrapped in exposed piping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Looks like ‘renowned architect’ Lisl Wendana didn’t design this place after she finished The Jewel.” Ariake commented wryly, turning it into a yell as another blast from below resonated through the speeder cabin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If we stash the speeder behind this rock formation, we can take a look at the debris field, maybe approach on foot.” Din pointed to the left. She nodded, and he pulled the speeder around and out of view of even sniper scopes from the mine, if there were any.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The amount of money this clears, there almost certainly are.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They got out and leaned around the side of the formation toward the edge of the debris field. Ariake could hear the binoculars built into Din’s helmet adjusting as he turned his head. They were maybe 200 yards away, well within his scanning range.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lots of movement around the larger rocks, but no heat signatures...droids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, I guess they’re choosing which need to be crushed down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You did think they’d have all the sentients down in the fuel mine itself, doing the dirty work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariake nodded grimly as the wind riffled her hair. “Yeah. We’ll have to cross the field to get to the debris tunnel; maybe we can sneak a ride on one of the empty debris transports going to fill up, and from there it shouldn’t…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was too absorbed in thinking through the possible navigation strategies underground that she failed to sense Din’s attention was elsewhere. Specifically, on a short hooded figure standing behind them with an electropole pointing squarely between the two. The weapon’s charged crackle made Ariake whip around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure spoke. “Here’s the deal: gimme the speeder now, or I’ll shock you both and THEN take the speeder anyway. Up to you.” the voice cracked for a moment on the last word, as if the strain of trying to sound like a jaded adult was a little too much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, the vapor cloud around Malastare’s sun shifted for a moment, casting a dim light beam over the figure’s face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, you’re…” Din murmured. Ariake didn’t need to see resemblance in the eyes, the hair. The Force sparked within her, like she’d always known who this was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barely sixteen, with Malastrian-soil-smeared cheeks and defiant eyes, Noriah D’alo was missing no more. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm not even sure this chapter was fully ready, but who can resist publishing on Star Wars day?</p><p>Jedi mind tricks always felt pretty Sith to me; a disciplined Jedi like Obi-Wan can yield it with little consequence, but an untrained Sensitive person? Not convinced. And can you blame someone for wondering if the feelings they're having for someone else might be coming from that person playing in their brain?</p><p>Also, writing this piece has taught me how little I actually know about mines, which will probably become abundantly clear in the next chapter or two. My mine-expert readers can feel free to tell me how wrong I am.</p><p>Ty ty for reading as always xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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